


Humberstone

by Justacami



Category: Gwen Stefani - Fandom, Shefani, The Voice (US) RPF, blake shelton - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/M, Shefani - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:41:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 128,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24244444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justacami/pseuds/Justacami
Summary: Humberstone was a quiet remote small town in Oklahoma, built around the peaceful lake Ember. Population was estimated around three thousand people. Blake was born and raised there, and could say he knew everything about the place. Until she arrived, running from something she thought she could leave behind forever. After being drawn to the mystery she was, Blake sinks into a sea of danger from which he’s not sure he can return sane. And when the past follows Gwen to her new life, his small hometown changes in a way it would never be able to go back to being the peaceful community it once was.Shefani AU.
Relationships: Blake Shelton/Gwen Stefani
Comments: 278
Kudos: 224





	1. Rainbow Street

**Author's Note:**

> I’m back already. This idea was circling my mind when I was still finishing the other story and I was really excited to work on it. Since my excessive free time is about to end, I thought I would post it to take it out of the drafts and if you guys like it, maybe you’ll inspire me to keep writing. 
> 
> This story is very different from what you’ve read from me before and I’m excited to see what you think. The first chapter has some violence in it, if it would be a trigger to you in any way, please don’t read it.  
> Like some of you know, English is not my first language, so keep that in mind. 
> 
> Other than that, I just hope you like it. So let’s go.

Sun Valley, California, was a loud city. The noise sometimes seemed to be deafening, and those who were not used to it would probably go crazy with so many traffic, constructions, loud music, people’s and city sounds at once. The city seemed to be always growing and expanding, since the 56,860 estimated population apparently just wasn’t enough. The houses were overpriced there, and the hot wave was unbearable most of the time, specially on a wednesday afternoon in August, like that one. But, to be fair, it was always hot in Sun Valley. The city got it’s name because of the amount of sunny days it had per year, and it was known for it’s overall youthful population. 

Gwen used to think that being a citizen of Sun Valley was like being invisible. Everybody there looked the same and they had no interest in their neighbor’s lives and wellbeing. They were all too concerned about themselves to ever think about another soul — unless it was for gossip. She was born and raised in southern California, so it was something she was used to, but an elitist city like Sun Valley sometimes would still surprise her. Usually in a negative way.  
Gwen was living in a big yellow house on Rainbow Street for five years now, which was located in a good neighborhood, but she barely knew anyone there. Although the houses were inviting with their well-kept yards and white picket fences, the residents peered out from behind their curtains and often seemed too frightened to interact with people they didn’t known, even when those had been their neighbors for years. They would never lose their taste for drama and gossip, though, anyone could count on that.  
Sun Valley and Rainbow Street were not Gwen’s first choice, but she couldn't argue with the numbers on the internet that ensured that the city and that neighborhood were the perfect place to raise a child. She also could never argue with her husband, and the last word was his. That's how she ended up trapped in Sun Valley, living the perfect life, or something like that. She wasn’t the one to complain about that, though, because she had Hope. Hope was a charming little 5 year old girl, her daughter. The child with wavy golden hair, pale skin and big brown eyes was the reason why Gwen tolerated all the strangeness of the city where they lived and the fact that she couldn't count on anyone else in the world. Hope was very smart, even too much for a child her age, and that was one of the things her mother was most proud of. Gwen couldn't say she had done many good things in life, but that one great thing that came out of her was perfect and was enough to make her whole existence have a purpose. 

“Don’t tell daddy you ate cake, ok?” She asked the girl as they were opening the white gate in front of the big yellow house together. “It’s almost dinner time and he will get mad.” Gwen held it open for her daughter to go in first.

“I won’t tell.” Hope promised. She was smart enough to keep promises when she wanted to. “I don’t like it when daddy gets mad.” 

“Hey Gwen!” They both turned around when they heard her name. “Hi, Hope!”

It was Adam Miller, one of the few neighbors they would frequently see around and talk too, but most of it was because he was Hope’s preschool teacher and would always check on them when they crossed paths. Adam’s family lived a couple of houses away from them, and he and his wife Sarah were always friendly. The problem was, last time Gwen saw him, Adam offered her a position to work at the school. Something small, but with big opportunities for the future, if she was committed. Early childhood education was her specialty, although she was out of the market for many years now, since she got married, and he knew about that. Even though she seemed interested when he told her about the job, when the principal called her and scheduled a interview, she never showed up and had been avoiding him since then. 

“Do you need any help?” He pointed to the few shopping bags she was carrying on her arms.

“Oh, no, don’t worry about it, it’s just a couple of things we needed for dinner.” Gwen really didn’t need or wanted any help. “Thank you, thought. How are the kids?” She made up some small talk just to be polite. 

“Getting so big.” Adam smiled. “The little one is almost two already. You guys should come over someday, let’s have dinner together.” 

She nervously looked around, really wanting to get rid of the conversation to get inside. “Sure. Just tell me when, I will talk to George.” 

“What about you, big girl? Are you ready for kindergarten?” He turned his attention to Hope, who was just a couple of steps behind her mother. 

“I don’t know.” The girl shrugged. “I told mommy I just wanted to go back to regular school.” She really had been saying that for the past few days.

“School is going to start in a couple of weeks, you have to be ready. And you will love it, don’t worry.” The neighbor laughed and his eyes went up to meet Gwen’s. “And since we’re talking about school, Tamara told me you never showed up for the interview. She really has a good spot for you, Gwen. Call her.” 

She felt the color disappear from her face and then come back quickly when her cheeks suddenly started to feel hot. Obviously he would address that subject, that was the reason why she was avoiding him in every possible way she could, but still, he had taken her by surprise before she could make an excuse and disappear again for months. She felt ashamed, invaded, vulnerable and scared at the same time. It wasn’t the time for a conversation like that one. 

“I don’t think I will be able to take the position right now, this is why I didn’t go to the interview. We have a lot going on in our lives and no help at all right now.” Gwen said, even though it wasn’t the entire truth. “I really gotta go now, Adam. It was nice to see you, have a great evening.” She hurried to end the conversation and he noticed it. 

“Hey!” Adam reached out to hold her arm when she was turning around. This time she felt a chill rise up her spine and take over her entire body. “Sorry if I pushed, it’s because you looked really interested when we talked about it before.” 

Gwen pulled her arm back quickly. “Adam, please, I don’t want to talk about this right now.” He didn’t know exactly what it was, but there was something in her eyes. Something that looked a lot like a cry for help. Her mouth opened and closed again as if she had something else to say, but couldn’t, and when she finally spoke, it didn’t seem right. “Please, hug Sarah and the kids for me.” 

Adam stared into her eyes one more time, wondering if there was really something strange in her behavior or if he was overly suspicious of what was none of his business. “Sure. Say hi to George for me, please.” Deciding that the second option was probably the right one, he waved to her and Hope and left. 

Gwen turned around and closed her eyes for a second. Her heart was beating fast and as she took steps towards the house and reached out to turn the door handle, she realized that her hand was shaking. With Hope right next to her, she couldn’t let her current situation show.  
Maybe it would be ok. Maybe she was safe. 

“Hey, we’re back.” Her heart was beating so loud, she couldn't even hear her own voice clearly, but she pretended everything was normal anyway. 

“What did Adam want?” He showed up so fast that it was impossible not to picture him staring out of the hall’s windows, behind the curtains, like an authentic Sun Valley resident. Of course he saw everything, he would always see everything. 

“Nothing.” Gwen decided to keep pretending. “He was asking Hope about her new school.” She searched for her daughter with her eyes. The girl was standing at the entrance to the living room, looking in their direction. Her big dark brown eyes — just like her mother’s — were even more wide. 

“I don’t think so.” George shot his wife with his worst suspicious gaze. “Was he offering you a job again?”

“No.” Gwen answered fast.

“You’re a liar.” He approached her, moving like a snake, analyzing it’s prey, about to strike. “Did you tell him I said no? Tell him I won’t let you work at that filthy school. Specially not now that Hope is finally out of there.” 

“It’s none of his business.” Calmly, she dodged her husband and made her way to the kitchen, placing the groceries on the big table. She had decided that the conversation wasn’t healthy anymore and wasn’t going to insist on it or try to explain herself. 

The problem was George, he would never let it go.  
She could still remember the first time they’ve met, at a new year’s eve party, seven years ago. He was a tall blonde man and his green eyes used to be so engaging. They were both very young, in their early twenties, but George already had a comfortable position on his father's company and a bright future ahead of him, while Gwen was struggling through college and had no family backing her up. He couldn’t take his eyes of her that night, and even though she wasn’t very interested in the beginning, he didn’t let go. He insisted until she opened up. The way he was a gentleman, thoughtful, knew how to court her and impress her, and seemed genuinely enchanted by her, made her change her mind. They fell in love really quick, dated for a year and got married at the beach in September. Their life as newlyweds was like a fairy tale, they travelled to many places together, celebrated their love and supported each other. It was easy, they were in love and they only needed to worry about one another, until Gwen got pregnant the following year. George then proved to be a possessive man. It started with doctors, but it quickly escalated to their friends and she had to quit her job. Then, even before Hope was born, his own family wasn’t able to visit anymore. When the baby was finally there, it was easy for Gwen to notice that sometimes he was even jealous of the attention she gave to their own daughter. That was when it was impossible to deny that George was a sick man.

“Do you think you can fool me?” He grabbed one of her arms to make her turn around, and his body pressed hers against the kitchen table. “That man has been trying to fuck you for months now and you’re flirting back now?”

Gwen ignored him and looked away. Ignoring him was her best skill on those days. 

His face was so close to hers that she could smell the alcohol he had been drinking when they were away. “Are you drunk? It’s 6 o’clock and we didn’t even have dinner yet.” But she wasn’t really good at staying silent. 

“Shut up.” He hit his fist really hard against the wooden table, making her jump in shock when she realized that the kitchen object could easily be replaced by her face or any part of her body anytime soon. His hands grabbed her waist to make her uncomfortable and unable to move.

It wasn’t until their daughter was 2 that the physical assaults really started. Not against the child, but against Gwen. She used to try to justify it, saying to herself that he was frustrated because her attention was always on Hope and never completely his anymore. And frequently would find herself looking for the man she fell in love with, hoping he was still there, somehow. But deep down, George didn't need any reason, he was just taking it out on her, sometimes due to alcohol, other times just because he knew he could.  
Now she didn’t justify anymore. When he started with his aggressive behavior, the only thing Gwen was concerned about was her daughter.

“Please, stop.” She whispered to him, touching both his arms to try to make him loosen his grip around her body. “Adam was just being nice. You know him, he has a wife and a family.”

“It doesn’t mean anything.” George stopped her abruptly. He was still being loud. 

Gwen moved her hands to his face. His fingers were digging into the skin on her waist and it was starting to hurt. “Please, babe. You’re hurting me.” She didn’t feel like treating him nicely, but she had to. Her world gravitated around him and whatever he wanted. Not because she loved him, but because she was mortally afraid of him. 

“You hurt me everyday.” He finally loosened his grip and grabbed her wrists to get rid of her hands on his face. “When you make up excuses to leave our home to go fuck other man.” He had a change on his voice tone now. Instead of suspicious and angry, he was choked up. “You’re a whore, Gwen.” 

“I’m not.” She defended herself, even though she should only ignore him. “I don’t do that. Don’t say that.” Out of the corner of her eyes, Gwen saw Hope's scared face peek out from behind the kitchen’s door. Her little girl could see and hear everything.

“Yes you are. I married a worthless whore.” The man laughed at himself, even though he had no sense of humor in that moment.

“I’m not a whore.” Again, she stood up for herself. She didn’t want her daughter to think she couldn’t do it. 

But it was a bad judgment call. She should’ve just kept quiet and consent. What difference would it make if he verbalized how much he thought she was whore or anything like that? She regretted her attitude the next second, when he pulled her by the arm and pushed her body hard against the hallway wall on the other side. She groaned in pain and her head spun. For a few seconds she couldn't even breathe, because of the strong push and collision. 

“Shut the fuck up.” He yelled at her. His hands rising instinctively to hold her neck. The fingers closing and pressing against her skin to block any air passage. “You’re worthless. You had nothing when I met you, I gave you everything and you’re still nothing. You might as well just be a pile of garbage that I have to deal with everyday. I hope you always remember that.”

He had done it so many times before, that he knew exactly how to make her quickly lose all her strength, but he loosened his grip right before she passed out.  
Gwen chocked and coughed desperately. She had to take several deep breaths to try to meet the demand for air that her lungs urgently needed. Her weak body slid against the wall, but George held her tight by her shirt and pushed her back against the hard surface behind her once more. This time, Gwen’s head hit the wall hard and made a loud noise that was followed by a low squeak sound. She opened her eyes, just to find Hope down on the floor, near the couch in the living room, maybe 20 feet away from them. The girl's eyes were wide with fear and both her hands were pressed against her mouth, preventing herself from repeating the frightened squeak sound that just caught her mother's attention.

Watching that broke Gwen’s heart more then any trauma that could ever happen to herself. She started to fight George, pushing her body against his and trying to use her hands to reach his face, but he was taller and way stronger than her, and her effort and struggle seemed to excite him even more. She looked into his eyes and all she could see was evil. He wasn’t mad anymore, frustrated, or even sad, he just wanted to hurt her for the pleasure of causing pain. 

George held her face with one hand and dug his finger tips on her cheek, like hurting her was something therapeutic to him. “I can’t stand you anymore. I hate you so much.” He said. Although it was a strong statement, he had no emotions showing on his face. 

“George…” Her breaking voice got his attention, but he reacted grabbing her hair and pulling it, making her turn around to face the wall. “You’re doing it again.” She could barely speak through the pain. “In front of her.” 

Suddenly he stopped. His grip on her hair loosened and his body wasn’t pressing against hers anymore. Gwen took another long deep breath before slowly turning around, afraid to make sudden movements. George was staring at Hope and the girl was now looking away and hugging the leather couch as if it could save her life.  
The mother thought that maybe she had touched something in his heart that made him realize that his behavior was unacceptable. Or if that wasn’t it, than maybe he was ashamed of his aggressive side, at least in front of Hope, which would be a good sign. But both options were very wrong, and she fooled herself until the last second, when he grabbed her hair again and pulled her down the hallway with him. Gwen screamed, not because of the pain she was feeling, but because he was heading towards the living room and her daughter. 

“No. Leave her alone.” She yelled, but she didn’t want to seem too desperate or it could be worse for the girl. Anything she would ask for, he would do the opposite now, and she knew it.

Upon reaching the other room, he forcefully shoved Gwen on the floor. Her back hit the coffee table and the sharp pain prevented her from breathing right or trying to get up. Then George’s strong arms promptly lifted Hope from the floor and carried her around while the girl screamed in fear. 

“Mommy!” She cried when her father walked towards the closet under the staircase. He opened the door. “No, please, daddy.” Hope whined a little more.

“You stay there and don’t make a noise. This is a conversation for adults, it’s not for children.” He carefully pushed her little body toward the closet and pulled the string to turn the light on because she was too small to reach. “If you’re a good girl, I will open for you soon, ok?” And then closed the door and turned the key to lock it from the outside. 

George turned around to find Gwen still on the floor, in between the coffee table and the couch. “Get up.” He ordered. 

“I can’t.” She cried.

“Get up!” He repeated the order louder. 

She had a brief internal conflict, pondering whether to get up or to stay and let him hurt her right there. He would hurt her either way. Even though there was no point in doing so, Gwen gathered all her strength to hold on to the little table and slowly rise up from the floor. Her whole body was protesting and trembling, and the sharp pain on her back could easily be something very serious.  
George moved towards her and she almost collapsed back to the ground. She felt the tears streaming down her face even though she couldn’t feel anything but emotional exhaustion and physical pain. At least Hope was safe now. 

His hands went straight to her face, and he desperately tried to get rid of her tears. “Stop crying. Why are you crying?” He asked, like that question made any sense. 

“You’re going to kill me one day.” She sobbed and he hugged her as if he wasn’t the one literally causing her pain. 

“No I won’t. I love you.” George turned her face to him and kissed her lips as she cried. “Regardless of who you are and all the shit you do, I still love you. You should be grateful and not crying.” 

Gwen stayed quiet. Paralyzed, like she couldn’t move. Suddenly his tongue invaded her mouth and all she wanted to do was throw up. One of his hands held behind her neck to control her and the other one went down her body to grab her ass.

“Stop it.” She broke the unwanted kiss, but he didn’t listen to her and went right back to sucking and biting her mouth. She knew that stage of his rage too. After the yelling was the hitting, and the hitting would always turn him on to the point were he would make her have sex with him after, just so he could control and hurt her a little more. Physically, emotionally and mentally. 

“Come on, babe, can’t we just forget about it?” He was using his charming voice, trying to manipulate her, and he used to be very good at it, but it didn’t work with her anymore. “I’m sorry we fought, let me just make it up to you now.” 

“I don’t want to.” Gwen tried to get him to let her go, but that only made him tighten his arms around her even more.

She fought a bit more, but he quickly got tired of it and one of his hands flew, hitting her right in the face. “You have to!” 

She staggered to her feet and got completely dizzy. At that moment, Gwen decided to give up the fight, at least for that night. She allowed George to carry her to the bedroom and did not open her mouth to contradict him anymore. However, something inside her seemed to have had enough of it, and although she had been preparing herself to get out of that situation sooner or later since day one, she was just now realizing she may not have a later for very long. She needed to act while she could, and it had to be now.

*** 

It was still dawn when Gwen got out of bed. The truth was, she hadn't slept even for a second that night, she just pretended she did. She had been sleeping next to George for 7 years now, and it became easy for her to know exactly when he was on the deepest stage of his sleep, and as soon as he was slowly and calmly breathing by her side, she quietly left the bed and the room. 

It took her only 2 days, since the last time he hit her, to set up a plan, although she wished she had more time to figure out the parts she wasn’t so sure about. She took some money out of their joint bank account during those 2 days, making up convincing excuses — like money for school supplies for Hope, groceries, clothes and other things — so he wouldn’t suspect anything, then she hid it under the loose tile in the closet under the staircase. He wouldn’t have any reason to get in there for those 2 days. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it was enough to get somewhere else.  
Gwen wore her long black overcoat over a sweatshirt and jeans, and threw any piece of clothing that was easy to get to in the closet inside a backpack, along with other stuff. She pulled her hair up in a ponytail and went straight to Hope’s bedroom. The girl was sound sleep, so she took the time to grab clothes for her too, and other items. When she was done, she had 2 backpacks and a sleeping child in her arms, whom she carefully grabbed out of bed.  
Gwen took no bank cards with her, she asked for no help and walked to the train station to avoid attracting attention, despite the weight she carried with her body that was still hurting. She even left her phone and car behind and took a burner with her. 

When she got to the train station, there was only one person she needed to call, but she only did it when she and Hope were comfortable in their seats and the train was leaving the station and the creepy city of Sun Valley behind.

“Hello?” The sleepy voice on the other end of the line seemed confused, but it was understandable. It was past 4 o’clock in the morning there, and probably after 7 where her friend was, if she was getting the timezone right. Also, nobody knew that phone number.

“Liz?” Gwen whispered. “Liz, it’s me, Gwen.”

“Gwen?” The other women suddenly became very attentive. “W-what happened? Are you ok?”

She knew why her friend was so surprised and acting like she knew something really bad was happening. Gwen hadn’t talked to her in years, and the last time they spoke was a long conversation when her friend tried to tell her about how George was an abusive husband and she should leave him. “I’m leaving him.” She said. There was a painful lump in her throat. “Can we stay with you for a couple of days?” 

It took Liz a couple of seconds to process that, but it was only because she was still sleepy. Her friend was really leaving an extremely abusive relationship. She didn’t have to think too much. “Of course. Come to New York, we will figure it out when you get here.” 

“I’m on a train.” Gwen told her. “Hope is with me. It will take us a few days to get there, but we will. This is my number for now, but don’t give it to anyone else and don’t tell anyone about me.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.” The other one sighed and they were silent for a few seconds. “Hey, I’m really proud of you, ok? Everything will be ok, now. You just have to get here.” 

Gwen held back a sob. “I’m really scared.” She held her sleeping child tight against her body. The little girl was unbothered and unaware of their escape. 

“I know you are, but not for long. You don’t need to be scared anymore.” Liz had planned those sentences years ago when she went visiting her friend and realized her husband had an alarming behavior. He was really good at pretending, but she saw right through him anyway. But now she was scared for Gwen too and had no idea what could be coming for her in the future. 

They were friends since they’re teenagers. Liz had a troubled family and Gwen had no one, so they stuck together in school and became best friends. That was their reality until George came into the picture. Liz was there when they met and was present in the beginning of their relationship, but he shut her out pretty quickly when they got married and seeing how he had changed the last time she and her husband Derek visited was the last straw. 

“I will be there soon. I love you. And I’m sorry.” 

“You don’t have to be sorry. I love you too.”

***

They left California on a Saturday and spent the whole next day inside of the train, arriving in Houston, Texas, on Monday. It wasn’t easy to keep Hope entertained, specially because the little girl wasn’t understanding the situation at all, and there was not really much Gwen could do about it without traumatizing her even more. 

As soon as they left the train in Texas, they got a hotel room so they could shower and rest a little bit. Gwen was certain that, by that time, George and the authorities were already looking for them, so she used the hotel bathroom to bleach her hair and dye it blonde. Not a golden blonde like Hope's, but platinum blonde, quite different from what she used to look like before. She just didn’t want to look like herself anymore, she wanted a new beginning and a new life, away from all that she used to be. Plus, she couldn’t complain about the results.  
They spent a few hours in the bedroom and then left to the bus station because their journey was only beginning. They still had 17 hours to spend inside a bus to Georgia, and another train ride to New York. They were in line, bus tickets in hand, when her burner phone rang and she saw it was Liz.

“I’m about to get in the bus.” Gwen said when she picked up. 

“Then don’t.” Her friend sounded afraid. “He knows you’re coming here Gwen, and he’s going to be waiting for you. I don’t know what he’s capable of, but he has been terrorizing us.”

At that point, she had already pulled Hope out of the bus line with her. Of course he knew, George always knew everything, he would never leave her alone, who was she trying to fool? “What do I do, Liz? I can’t go back know. I’m afraid he’s going to—” She stopped herself from saying it because she saw Hope’s big scared eyes staring at her.

“First, get rid of this phone.” Liz said. “Then get on a bus, find a small town where you don’t know anyone and no one knows you, hide for a while. Don’t call me, he’s watching me and Derek.”

Gwen was completely lost, her whole plan had just failed and her husband made it pretty clear he was capable of everything to get to her. Maybe Liz was right and she could in fact hide in a small town, but there was no guarantee he wouldn’t find her. She was even more scared now, but when she looked down and saw her daughter’s frightened face, she realized she had no other choice, she needed to try. “It’s ok, baby, we’re just gonna find another bus.” She caressed the girl’s hair. “Ok, Liz, I will try.”

“Be very careful, Gwen, and take care of Hope.” Her friend said before they hang up. There was no time for a proper goodbye, she needed to get rid of that phone. 

Gwen looked around. There was a few other busses leaving at the same time, but she didn’t have a lot to choose from, so she opted for whatever state she had heard less about in her life, and end up inside of a bus to Oklahoma City. The travel was a full 11 hours and 15 minutes, but she wasn’t planning on staying until the last stop, she was going to study the map and choose a small town to be her new destination. Hopefully, someone nice would help her with that in one of the stops. 

“What about Madill?” Mother and daughter were looking at the map together to kill some time before the bus departed, but the little girl couldn’t read yet, so Gwen was telling her all the towns names. 

“I don’t like it.” Hope frowned and they laughed. 

“Hmm… What about Ada?” She asked and pointed to the map. “Look, there’s a town named Chickasha.”

Hope giggled. “That’s a funny name.”

“What about Humberstone?” Gwen looked at her daughter and they both raised their eyebrows. “Sounds mysterious, doesn’t it?”

“I think I like this one.” The girl smiled. 

Gwen grabbed the pen and drew a big blue circle around the name of the town on the map. She was definitely going to ask about that one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really, really, really hope you liked it. And please, let me know what you think if you can. 
> 
> Thank you!


	2. Country inn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!!!  
> All the nice and excited comments you guys left on the first chapter really inspired me to write this one faster, even though these are big introductory chapters. Seriously, thank you so much!
> 
> I’m really excited to tell you a little bit more about this story, so let’s go!!!

The country air smelled so comforting since the torrential rain that had fallen the night before, like a strong mix of different wet trees aromas and the earthy scent of the muddy road under his truck, plus if he concentrated enough, he could even smell the local flowers bathing in the summer sun. For a country guy like Blake, there was no better smell than that one, so that morning he drove with his window rolled down all the long way to his destination.  
That was his only day off that week, and there were many things he needed to do. To start with, the pipe under the kitchen sink had been dripping for days, his mother was complaining about one window in the living room that was stuck, and there was a loose wood tile on the hallway floor. Humberstone didn't have a store big enough for him to find everything he needed, so he was on his way to a nearby town to buy all the supplies he would need and didn't have at home.

Blake's life was very simple. Many other men living in his small town had the exact same routine he had: Waking up early, taking care of the property — whatever it was — getting ready for work, spending the day away and going back home at night to their families with a strong sense of accomplishment. Or so they would say. It was an ordinary life, comfortable and expected when living in a small and country community like Humberstone. He was used to it and didn't wish for anything different than that, but since his father died a couple of years ago, Blake would find himself constantly wondering if that was enough for him. He loved the country life, no doubt about it, but the unsatisfied feeling he had deep in his chest was telling him that maybe there was something missing. Something he didn’t even know what could be, but he couldn't end up with a fate like his father's until he was able to figure that out. For a long time, when he was younger, Blake thought it could be music. He even tried to seriously dedicate himself to that as a career, but living in such a remote town, he knew it would be an impossible task and gave up when the house bills started to get heavy. He then got a job in construction, when he was still very young, and was spending all his life doing that. He was good at it and the job paid the bills, so he wasn’t complaining. 

Since his father was gone, all Blake had was his mother, and he was also all she had. Dorothy Shelton was a very sweet woman in her early 50s. Her life was never the easiest one, and when the family was finally comfortable, losing her husband came as a big shock. Now she and Blake were the closest they had ever been, he even moved back home to spend more time with her, and they were slowly healing each other with love and patience. Those were the most important values Dorothy would say she taught her son. But Blake had a genuinely good heart, regardless of whether he was raised to be that or not, he simply was a good guy.

About wanting more from life, Blake knew what his father would say to him if he was still there: _Don't look for something you don't know, or you may find it._ His father taught him that the man's role was working to provide for the loved ones, and that a man of character builds a family and supports them faithfully, with honesty. Now that Blake was about to build his own family with the woman he had chosen years ago, in high school, those words would frequently cross his mind. He was already dating Ashley for almost 10 years when they decided to get married as soon as she was done with college. What had always been attractive to Blake about Ashley was the fact that she had big goals and did her best to achieve them. Going against her parents to go to college in another town was one of those things. But at the same time, it was also something that distanced them, after all, Blake didn't see himself moving away from Humberstone and his mother, and he didn't think there was room in that small town for his fiancee's plans. So he was just letting the dice roll and whatever had to happen, would happen. 

That was the reason why his father used to tell him to stop thinking about life or whatever wasn’t right about it. He would always get really upset with that feeling of emptiness that he carried with him and didn’t know why. It wasn't about the fact that his life might end up being different from what he had expected since high school, but about him wishing, deep down, that it could actually be.

“Damn it.” He complained out loud to himself as he turned the steering wheel to change lanes and go the opposite way. He had just passed an old bar on the road and suddenly decided that, before anything else, he needed a drink to start his day. 

It was not even 10 o’clock in the morning. 

  


***

  


Gwen was staring at her reflection on that dirty mirror in the public bathroom for a few long minutes already. That was not the first time she had taken off most of her clothes to look at her own body since the last assault, but her condition was much worse then than it was now. The different types of marks and bruises spread all over her shoulders, back, arms and neck were nothing new, but she was sure she would never stop being terrified by that sight, and she was looking at it precisely so that she would never forget her reasons for fleeing that strange California city, that life of fake appearances, and that man who saw pleasure in making her suffer in every possible way. She wondered again how she had let it get this bad. Gwen used to see herself as an intelligent woman, both academically and emotionally and had never really considered the possibility of finding herself in an abusive relationship like that one, especially involving that level of physical violence. She thought a woman like her would know how to read the signs, but she had learned the hard way that it wasn't so easy when it was happening to you. 

“Does it hurt?” The shy whisper startled her slightly.

Hope was quiet for such a long time that Gwen forgot she was also in the family bathroom with her, but of course she was, there was no one else to watch the girl outside, so she was getting used to the idea of never being alone anymore, not even to use the bathroom. “No, baby, it doesn’t hurt, don’t worry.” She lied. Her body still felt the consequences of the aggression she had suffered days ago.

Gwen put the long-sleeve black shirt back on and threw a scarf around her bruised neck. She didn’t know which was the worst part: her body hurting or the hot summer weather when she needed to wear something that would hide her bruises. 

“Hope, please get up from this dirty floor.” When she turned around, she saw that the little girl was sitting on the bathroom floor. 

“But I’m so tired.” Hope whined and rubbed her eyes with both hands. 

“I know, baby, but you’ll get sick.” Gwen bent down to pick her daughter up. “We’re almost there.” She said, but the truth was she had no idea where they were. She knew they had just crossed the Texas-Oklahoma border, and that was the first stop at the new state. It was just some bar in the middle of the road, but they managed to use the bathroom and eat something. 

Gwen grabbed both backpacks again and they were ready to go back into the bus and continue their journey. 

She stopped on her way out to pay and tip the boy at the cashier, and couldn’t help but notice the big Oklahoma map behind him. 

“Hey, do you know anything about Humberstone?” Gwen asked. She had googled the small town on one of the stops and was please with the information she found, specially because it was not a lot of things. 

“Humberstone?” The guy looked behind him to check the map. “Not much. It’s a small town not very far from here. There’s a bridge you have to cross, it’s the only way in and out of there. People here joke that no one has ever seen a Humberstone resident, they don’t cross the bridge, but it’s just a joke.” He laughed. “The truth is, not a lot of people live there, it’s a old small town.”

“Sounds private and quiet.” She said, trying to encourage him to tell her any other information he had.

“Sounds boring.” The boy shrugged. “Are you on that bus?” He asked, and she nodded. “If you’re going to Humberstone, you can’t hop in anymore. They’re going up to Oklahoma City. You have to follow the road that way to get there.” He pointed the way.

“Can you walk there?” Gwen asked. 

The cashier shook his head. “I don’t think so. It would probably take you a couple of hours walking to get to the bridge.” 

“Do you know someone who can drive us there? I can pay.” If she couldn't get on the bus, she would have to find another way to get to her destination.

“I could, but I get off at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.” He said. 

Gwen looked up to the clock on the wall. It was just a little after 10 o’clock in the morning. She then looked at Hope, the girl was rubbing her tired eyes again. 

“I can take you there.” The strong male voice came from somewhere to her left, and she turned her head to face the person who had engaged in the conversation without being asked. 

The man took a final sip from his glass and rested it on the bar counter before standing up and turning his tall figure towards them. The first impression he made was intimidating – very tall, strong, wearing cowboy boots and a cap on his head — He looked like he had been hunting, fishing or something like that, anything that countrymen do. But there was something friendly about his face and his intense blue eyes.

“That’s right, buddy, it seems like you’re looking at a Humberstone resident.” He joked about what the boy had said before. 

“Thank you.” Gwen was staring at him, and even though she wanted to look away, she couldn’t. “But I think we’re good.” She did not know that man and wasn’t planing on risking her life for a ride. Plus the smell of alcohol was sending her back to the worst days of her life.

“It's your choice.” Blake gave the cashier some money to pay for the drink he consumed. “I gotta head out then.”

“Blake is fine.” That was the first time Gwen noticed the old woman sitting on a rocking chair in the corner of the bar. “I know you’re afraid, and you should be, but this one is harmless.” She said, sounding very wise and believable for some reason.

“Hey, I’ve got a reputation to keep.” He pretended to complain, but it only made the woman laugh. He laughed too, and then Gwen realized that he really couldn't be a threat. The tall guy had soft eyes and a friendly smile. Suddenly she wasn’t scared anymore. 

“Humberstone is a good little town.” The older woman continued to speak to her. “It will do just fine for you and your child, and Blake can show you around.”

“Guess you gotta come with me now.” The cowboy was still joking, this time he was looking right at Gwen. 

“Guess I have no choice.” She joked back. The two smiled briefly at each other.

“So let me help you with those bags.” He took a step closer to her so he could reach the two backpacks behind her back and grabbed both as if they weighed nothing at all. Gwen felt like she could finally walk straight for the first time in days when he lifted that weight off of her shoulders. “My red truck is parked right outside.” He said, and then looked back at the old woman on her rocking chair. “You owe me one, Margie.”

“I don't.” The woman quietly said. Rocking her chair back and forth. “But the blondie will.”

“Thank you.” Gwen tried to thank both of them, even though that woman was starting to creep her out. She really appreciated the help, so holding on tight to Hope’s hand, she followed him. 

When they were outside, Blake led the way to his truck and opened the door for them. He placed the bags behind his seat and let them get comfortable. The red truck didn’t have a back seat, but the passenger seat was big enough for both of them, so Gwen put Hope in first and sat right next to her, near the car’s door.

“I’m Blake Shelton.” He took the time to introduce himself, offering his right hand in her direction.

She shook his hand and held it for a second. “I’m Gwen, and this is Hope.” It was weird not having a last name to say, but she was glad to completely ignore anything her husband had given her, including that.

“Hope?” Blake looked at the little girl and also offered his hand for her to shake. 

“That’s my name.” She proudly said, shaking his hand. “My mom waited until I was born to give me a name. She said I looked like hope.” She loved to tell that story to everybody and it would always instantly make Gwen smile. 

“Did she?” His eyes went up to meet Gwen’s. She nodded to confirm the story and they exchanged a soft look. “You know what, Hope? I think she was right.” He made the little girl smile too, and as a result, warmed her mother's fearful heart.

  


***

  


“What’s your full name?”

“Blake the king.”

“How old are you?”

“Oh, I’m very old. Old like a turtle. Did you know some turtles are more than 100 years old?”

“No. Really?”

While Blake was driving, the active little girl sitting by his side asked him a lot of curious questions, which he answered in the funniest and most spontaneous way he could, making her giggle all the time before thinking about another thing she wanted to ask. 

“What’s your favorite color?” Hope was also looking at him, showing real interest in the conversation.

He had to think about that one. “Hm, yellow. I think.”

“Like the sun?” She asked.

“More like golden.” Blake said. “Like your hair.”

The girl's face suddenly became somewhat serious. “Daddy’s hair is kind of golden too.” Gwen's heart skipped a beat. She was not expecting her daughter to say something like that and had no idea if she should say something back or just pretend she didn’t hear her. The point was that just the mention of him brought all of her fears and uncertainties back. “Do you have kids?” As if nothing had happened, Hope went excitedly back to her questions.

“No, I don’t have kids.” Blake answered right away. “If I had kids, I would probably lose them somewhere.”

“What?” Hope laughed louder. “That’s funny.” She sighed, her eyes getting tired again. “Do you have a girlfriend?” 

“Ok Hope, that’s enough.” Even though she was quiet, the mother was still paying attention to every word they would exchange. “You’re talking too much.” 

“What are you? A police officer?” Blake joked, making the little one laugh even more.

“No.” She shook her head.

“Do you work for the CIA?” He kept joking.

“What’s that?”

Gwen couldn't deny that there was a mysterious instant bond between those two. She didn’t remember Hope being so interested and that sociable with anyone else in that short amount of time. Her daughter had become more and more quiet in the presence of strangers when she began to understand, in a certain way, what was happening inside of her own home. If she couldn't trust her father, it was only natural that she didn't trust anyone else.  
It was not common to see the girl laughing so much like that lately either, due to the latest events in their lives, so Gwen didn’t interrupt them anymore, and the conversation went on the for the rest of the way. 

The drive to the quiet little town was longer than expected, at least for those who didn’t know the area. About 40 minutes on a bumpy dirt road, only spotting tall trees very close together on both sides, until they finally reached the wooden bridge. Blake told them that Humberstone was hidden behind a large set of woods around Lake Ember. He also said that the woods near his house were called Stone Woods and that he could walk to the lake if he wanted to — Hope was very interested in that possibility.

“So, California to Oklahoma. That’s a big change.” He turned to Gwen when her daughter was busy leaning over her to look outside the window as they crossed the bridge. 

“Yep.” She nodded, not knowing exactly what to say. “It seems peaceful and private. It’s all we need now.” She was aware she needed to get used to those kind of questions from now on. 

“What are you running from?” Blake asked.

“What?” Gwen almost choked. 

He laughed because she seemed genuinely worried about his question. “I’m joking. It’s just because we don’t have any outsiders in Humberstone. People get out when they can, they don’t get in very often.” She allowed herself to relax a bit and her body even slipped a little on the truck seat. “Why Humberstone then?”

“Are you a police officer or something?” She used his own joke against him. “I feel like I’m in trouble right now.” It was all just a distraction from the subject that she desperately needed to change. 

It worked. Blake laughed. “No, I work for the CIA.” He joked too. “Sorry, this is what happen when outsiders come here. Get used to it.” 

“I guess I will.” 

As Gwen was saying that, they were entering the town’s Main Street. It was just a straight street with two lanes in opposite directions and a train track in the middle. On the sidewalks you could see small businesses like a local bar, restaurants, barbers, clothing stores and a candy shop. A medium-sized park on the left and the city hall on the right, located on an open square next to a small general store. That was it. Downtown Humberstone was a one minute drive. Except for maybe two adjacent streets that she hadn't been able to see yet, and a third one, in which they turned right. Soon Blake was parking his truck in front of a medium sized building that kind looked like a hotel. And it was, she saw that the sign outside said “Country Inn”. 

“Welcome to your new temporary home.” He said. “This is the only nice place to stay around here, and It also belongs to my fiancee's family, so I trust them.”

“Oh.” Gwen wasn’t expecting that, for some reason. She thought she had noticed something about Blake's behavior that indicated he was a lonely man, or maybe it was his intense yet somewhat sad blue eyes. Maybe she should’ve let him answer the girlfriend question when Hope asked. 

“Another hotel?” Her daughter whined while they where getting out of the car. “I want to sleep in my bed.” 

“Hey, remember we talked about being grateful?” The mother picked her up to carry her. 

“Someone is sleepy.” Blake noticed too, as he was grabbing the backpacks to take inside. 

“And grumpy. She barely slept on the bus.” Gwen told him, while arranging Hope in her arms. The girl soon laid her head on her shoulder. 

“It was too noisy.” Hope complained again, making Blake laugh. 

“Don't encourage her.” Gwen lectured him, even though she wanted to laugh too. “I hope this is not a very expensive place.” She said. 

It didn’t really look like it was anything but simple and well maintained. The inn was just a 2-story building, with mini balconies outside on the second floor where the rooms were. They all went in together, with Blake always leading the way. Inside it looked like a regular hotel reception, with a big balcony, a couple of couches and chairs for anyone who was waiting and an area with many mail boxes, probably one for each room they had and more. Everything was very country style, totally different from any hotel Gwen had ever stayed at in her life. The furniture was probably handmade, made of dark wood and light fabric. The floors were well varnished and the place smelled like fresh clean cotton. 

“Welcome to Country inn.” The woman at the reception smiled politely, but her lips soon curved up a little more and she giggled. “What are you doing here, silly?”

“I brought you some guests.” Blake took some steps forward and the other girl seemed to finally be able to spot Gwen behind him. “Girls, this is my fiancée, Ashley. Ash, these are Gwen and little Hope.” 

Ashley was a short skinny girl with a very dark and thick straight shoulder-length hair. Her olive skin was one of the most beautiful Gwen remembered seeing in her life. It was impossible not to think about the height contrast between the two of them, but other then that, they seemed to have a lot in common, like their pretty similar personalities — since the woman apparently was cheerful and funny too — and the fact that they both were really nice people. 

“Oh!” The girl left the area behind the counter to go greet them. “Nice to meet you. Welcome to Humberstone.” She shook Gwen free hand and kissed Blake on the cheek. 

“They’re from California.” He told her. “Hope needs a comfortable bed.” He whispered to Ashley as if it was a big secret, making the little girl giggle.

“I see that.” His fiancée laughed too, and then she looked at Gwen. “She’s so precious.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at her and leaned her head lightly against her daughter's. “Can you get us a room? We just got here and need a place to stay until we figure it out.”

“I’m afraid we don’t have any room left.” The answer did not come from Ashley, it came from someone behind her. “Look who it is. The only man still worth something in this town.” The woman approached Blake to give him a tight hug. “I’m so glad he’s about to marry my daughter.” Then she stared at Gwen like she was some kind of unspoken threat. 

Blake looked slightly uncomfortable. “This is Barbara, Ashley’s mom.” He said. “Barbara, this is Gwen and the little one is Hope.” 

Barbara was as short as Ashley and Blake's fiancee looked a lot like her, but younger and much thinner. Their personalities also differed, the mother did not seem very friendly nor perky, perhaps Ashley was more like her father on that matter. 

“Hello!” The older woman waved to Hope. “This is a very cute child.” 

“She is, isn’t she?” Blake smiled at the little girl. “She’s very smart too and has a fun witty personality.”

“Is that so?” Barbara exchanged a couple of weird looks between Blake and Gwen, and although he didn’t seem to notice, she did. “And how do you two know each other?”

“We’ve just met.” It was Gwen who quickly told her, glad she could clear that up. “Literally an hour ago or so.”

“Hey, what do you mean you don’t have any room?” Blake asked, still unaware of Barbara’s likely premature judgment about the two of them. “You guys always have available rooms.”

“We really don’t.” This time Ashley was the one to say something. “Sorry Gwen, it’s because of the last week of summer break. People from around the area come to visit the lake.” She explained. “So I can’t offer you a place to stay, but I can actually offer you something that will probably be even better.”

“Really? What?” Gwen couldn’t really tell what could be better than a place to stay, specially looking at Hope’s tired gaze. 

“A job.” Ashley said. “I’ll actually be very busy with college starting next week and my mom will need someone to help her over here. I think this is going to work out perfectly.” 

“I already told her that college is a waste of time.” Barbara didn’t give Gwen the space to process the offer, let alone say something. “She should be here, helping her mom, planning her wedding, spending lots of time with her future husband and maybe even making some kids like this little cutie.” She played with her hands like Hope was 18 months old, instead of 5 years old. “Don’t you think?” And then looked right at Gwen.

“I think college is a great idea.” She said, and quickly shifted her attention back to Ashley. She opened her mouth to talk about the job offer, but was interrupted before even starting. 

“Oh, you’re from California, I heard. What do you people know? You spend your whole life working to pay your college tuition, don’t you?” The woman insisted. “And you study things like art, music, theatre. Who needs that?” She laughed like it was just a fun conversation between friends.

Blake exchanged a worried look with Ashley.

“I’m a teacher, actually.” Not that she thought her degree was in any way better or more important than anything the other woman named, but Gwen was already tired of that conversation. “But I’d love to accept your job offer, Ashley. I really need it and I promise you I’ll do my best.”

“I’m sure you will and—” 

Barbara interrupted her own daughter this time. “And where’s your husband? A cute little girl like her must have a father.” 

“For the love of God, Barbara, you talk too much.” Blake laughed to lighten the mood, but he didn’t let Gwen answer that, it had gone too far already.

“I’m just trying to be friendly.” Barbara said, like anyone would believe that. “That’s ok, she can take the job if she wants, but I will stay at the reception, she will serve the tables at the restaurant.” She stated, just trying to have the final say in something. 

“We have a restaurant back there for guests and non guests. There’s another entrance, on the backstreet, and one inside too, near the stairwell.” Ashley explained.

“You’ll like it. My mom works in the kitchen for many years now.” Blake was still trying to convince her. “Best food in town.”

“I’m not so sure this is for you, sweetheart. What is a teacher going to do serving tables?” Barbara gave her opinion.

“I’ll take it.” Gwen thought of it as a challenge that she had no choice but to accept. 

“Great!” Blake celebrated and Hope clapped. 

“So, I have a list of other places in town where you could stay.” Ashley told her. “Some are pretty nice.”

“This will really help me, Ashley, thank you.” Gwen was really thankful. 

“I don’t really trust those places. The only other decent hotel around here is too far away, on the other side of the lake.” Blake shook his head. “You can stay at my place.”

“What?” The three women gasped at the same time. 

“Now why would you do that?” Barbara was the first one to have something to say, of course. 

“No, I couldn’t possibly say yes to that.” It was Gwen’s turn to shake her head. 

“Why not? It will be just like the inn. Me and my mom have a guest room you can use and you would pay rent.” He explained. “We would be helping each other. Plus my mom will love to have some company, specially Hope’s.” Blake liked to consider himself a helpful and friendly man, but something was making him go the extra mile to help those two. He couldn't tell if it was the interesting mystery behind their arrival in Humberstone or the fact that he felt responsible for them now that he brought them there. 

“Blake, I—” Gwen was speechless. 

Hope had lifted her head and was looking at her mother with excited eyes. “Please, mommy. Blake said his house is close to the lake.” The girl put her two hands together like she was praying for that. “Please, we could walk there. Please, please, please.” 

Gwen looked up from her daughter’s face to find Blake’s eyes. “Are you sure?” She asked.

“Yes, of course.” He assured her.

“Ok, but we’ll pay rent.” She agreed.

“Yay!” The little girl in her arms celebrated and leaned over to high five Blake. 

Gwen had no idea that she would be so welcomed. She wasn’t used to it. She would definitely have to think of a way to thank those people later.  
Maybe, living in a small town surrounded mostly by nice people who cared about her was really what she needed at the moment, so she wasn’t going to take that for granted. She promised Ashley she was going to be at the restaurant for a couple of days later that week, once she was settled, so she could learn everything she needed before starting to work on the following week, as soon as Blake’s fiancée was off to college. She also promised to herself that she was going to give her best to that new life and the great opportunities she still had. There were so many opportunities for her now, Gwen could be a totally different person if she wanted to, one who was really capable of keeping her daughter safe, especially, and one who was really grateful for Blake and that strange old woman at the bar.  
She was also going to keep looking at her bruises in the mirror, everyday if she had to, just so she would never forget the hell she once lived in, this way she could always be grateful for whatever she got after leaving it behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another big chapter for you. Please, keep telling me what you think, if you can. It makes a difference.
> 
> Thank you!


	3. Little swamp lane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again, guys.
> 
> Hope you like it.

Blake’s home was a simple white house with a green door, at the end of the “little swamp lane”, a small dead end and unpaved street. He had a lot of space behind his two-story house, where there was a large deck and a garden. A porch extended across the whole front, and it had a white wooden swing that won Hope's heart as soon as she saw it. Behind their propriety was the big and very green Stone Woods, which you had to cross if you wanted to get to the lake on the other side. According to Blake it was a 15 minutes walk, but they would wait until the weekend to explore that.

It was still their third day there and they were really happy they’re finally in a safe place, although both were still very tired.  
Gwen spent the whole day at the inn with Ashley, learning everything she could about her new job, and it didn’t seem too difficult. Even when it was a lot of work people would still be nice and the restaurant seemed to be a nice family place, never too messy or crowded. Hope was spending those afternoons in the restaurant’s kitchen with Dorothy, since school would only start on the following week. They got back home around 4 o’clock in the afternoon and took some time to finally unpack and organize their new room, which had a comfortable queen bed, a dresser with a few drawers and a closet. It was small, but really clean, and the big window opened to the back of the house, the garden, the woods and even a little view of the lake. The second floor bathroom was right next to their bedroom, but they would have to share it with Blake, whose room was across the hall from them. Dorothy’s bedroom was the biggest one and it was on the first floor, next to the kitchen and the small living room.

Often, Gwen would find herself wondering if it was all a weird, but very satisfying dream. She found it hard to believe that she really had the courage to escape the situation in which she was before and had been lucky enough to find a safe place with good people around her. It was not a dream, though. Blake and his mother, were the kindest people she had ever met in her life, and Gwen was really not used to people caring about her well being like they were doing. She learned how to take care of herself from a very young age, and since then it was basically just her and no one else, until George, and then Hope. There were still many moments of doubt, in which she would wonder deeply about the reasons why her husband became the aggressive person he was and why he thought that hurting her was the key to solve all of his problems. Gwen didn't think that violence was the answer to anything, but she couldn't help but wonder about what she could have done differently to help their marriage, or maybe just to prevent him from becoming what he had become in the end. 

“They say we’re gonna have a dry winter this year.” The caring voice said. “We should go get a humidifier for your room.” It was Dorothy taking care of her again. 

Yes, she would still doubt herself sometimes, and in those moments, she truly believed it was all her fault, but there were also moments like that one she had with Blake’s mom, on the deck behind their house, watching while he showed Hope all the different flowers they were growing in the garden and making plans for the winter or any other future seasons, like she was never going to leave their house.  
Those moments were precious. 

It was a little after 6 o’clock and the two women had fresh ice tea glasses in their hands. The weather outside was really pleasant, the sun was still out, but not so hot anymore and a calm summer breeze was blowing. 

Gwen took a long sip of her drink. “He’s really good with her.” She couldn’t help but notice. 

“This is news for me.” Dorothy smiled. She did not mind the company at all, and was actually very proud of her son for what he was doing for Gwen and Hope. “Kids love Blake, but you won’t see him involved like this, not for that amount of time at least. He must really like Hope.”

“She really likes him too.” Gwen smiled too. “I mean, look at them, it’s like I’m not even here.” 

“Oh, get used to it.” The older woman laughed. “We don't raise them for ourselves, we raise them for the world and they know it.” She said, taking a sip of her drink too. “Blake was a terrible kid. The trouble maker. He would always get hurt doing stupid things because his father would encourage him on that.” Dorothy rolled her eyes, but soon she was sighing. Her eyes suddenly turned sorrowful. “We lost him a couple of years ago and my Blake took full responsibility for the house, for me, for everything. God bless him, he did way more than I could ever expect. He even moved back home so I wasn’t alone all the time.”

“I’m so sorry.” Gwen reached out to lightly touch Dorothy's shoulder. 

“I appreciate it, but it’s ok. You get used to it.” But Blake’s mother didn’t really look like she was used to it, her emotions were showing through her eyes. “I meant to say that this is the thing with our kids, if you raise them right, they will know how to give back. Your girl seems sweet like you, she will be a wonderful woman one day.” 

Gwen's heart swiftly was filled with even more affection for Dorothy. That woman had only known her for a few days and was already welcoming her like she and Hope had always been family. As much as she had the urge to keep a comfortable distance from other people for now, emotionally speaking, she couldn't suppress the appreciation and fondness she was nurturing for the Sheltons.

“Everything I did was for her.” She wasn’t paying full attention to what she was saying, it was as if her thoughts were coming out of her mouth without asking for any permission. “It wasn’t just for me, it was for her.”

Dorothy just quietly listened. Even though she was a simple woman, she wasn’t so naive, she knew that for a mother to decide to completely change her young daughter's life and routine in such a drastic way as Gwen had done, there must have been a very big reason or trauma behind it all, she just wasn’t going to ask what it was yet. When Gwen was comfortable and ready, she would probably talk about it if she wanted to.

“Look mommy!” Hope’s loud voice and laughter suddenly caught their attention. Gwen and Dorothy looked over to find the little girl sitting on Blake’s shoulders. “I’m so tall!” They all laughed together.

Obviously Hope was really comfortable with Blake and his mom, and Gwen was happy because she felt safe, but the other two were also enjoying their company. The small white house on the Little swamp lane felt warmer and more like a family home now. 

  


***

  


The first week was busy and went by really fast. Even though there were many promises for the first weekend in Humberstone, they ended up going shopping so that they were both ready to start a new routine the following week. They bought clothes and shoes — since they were not able to grab many of what they had — school supplies for Hope, personal care products and other necessary things, and Blake took Gwen to buy a used car, which she would need badly since the small town wasn’t big on public transportation, much less where they lived. By the end of it she was glad she would start at her new job soon, because the money she was able to grab before fleeing was almost all gone. 

That Monday was the real first day of the rest of their lives. Blake was the first to wake up, very early as usual. He made coffee, and by 6 o’clock everyone else was out of bed. They had breakfast together and soon Blake and Dorothy were going to their respective jobs. Even though Gwen was working in the same place as his mom, they had different schedules. Dorothy worked in the morning and in the afternoon, and the other one would serve the tables at lunch and dinner time. It worked perfectly for Gwen, as she could take her daughter to school every morning, and Dorothy would pick the girl up soon after leaving the inn.

Her first day of work seemed like it would be just like it was when she was training, which meant she would have to pay attention to the orders and tables since there was no one helping her now, but it should be ok. That was what she thought until she put her hair up in a ponytail, changed into her uniform — a knee length black dress with a white lace collar — and walked in, a little before noon. Different from any other day she was there, the restaurant was packed, all of the tables were occupied and there were people waiting outside. 

“Maybe hiring the outsider wasn't a bad idea.” She heard Barbara tell Dorothy the minute she went in the kitchen for the first time. “There she is. I hope you’re ready, today will be the real deal.” 

“What’s happening?” Gwen's eyes were wide.

“Welcome to your first day, sweetie.” Dorothy greeted her while Barbara was leaving the kitchen to go back to her spot at the reception. She couldn’t help but notice how scared Gwen seemed to be. “Hey, you will do great, don’t worry.”

“They’re all here because of me?” She still couldn't process that. The last thing she wanted was those people’s eyes on her all the time. “I mean… why?”

“They’re just curious and that’s good for business.” She felt a hand touching her shoulder. It was Kelly, the other server that would share that shift with her. “I‘ve got your back.” She said. “But let’s go, it’s really busy.” 

“Ok.” She took a deep breath.

Gwen was really thankful she had those people to help her, however the day was not much easier because of that. The worst part wasn't even the amount of times she got orders wrong in the beginning, or the number of glasses and plates she ended up breaking because she wasn't used to carrying many of them at once — Dylan, the young kitchen assistant, thought that was hilarious — it was the way people were staring at her. She even went to the restroom more than she should, just to make sure there wasn’t anything wrong with her face, or if maybe the few bruises she still had on her shoulders and back weren’t showing.  
When dinner time came, Gwen was exhausted, but she was doing much better with her orders and her dishes.

Barbara had been watching her the whole day, she noticed, and it wouldn’t be different when things got a little better. The owner was just making sure she had enough things to complain about later, and also being another pair of eyes on her new girl, at least that was what the other ones were thinking. 

But it wasn’t just that. “Hey Kelly, go take your break.” Barbara said to her other employee as soon as Dorothy left, at the end of her shift, and the other cook, Javier, took his place in the kitchen for dinner.

“Sorry, Barbara, I can’t take a break now, it’s dinner time and I can’t leave Gwen alone.” Kelly said to her. The young waitress said she had Gwen’s back, and she intended to be true to that. 

“You have to, Kelly. I didn’t see you do that once today and the other one was away many times.” Barbara wouldn’t give up on that and there was a limit to where Kelly could go in that argument with her boss.

“Fine.” The short curvy waitress didn’t complain anymore, but she shrugged.

Barbara didn’t care, she was trying to catch a bigger fish than that one that night, so she went to the counter that separated the kitchen from the restaurant and lounge, where the tables were. A couple of orders were already waiting there. 

“Hey, Gwen, Kelly is taking a break.” Dylan informed her when she went back to grab more orders to take to the tables. “Can you take her orders too?”

“Yeah, sure.” Gwen agreed, even though she was aware that was the worst time ever to take a break. She wouldn’t complain about Kelly, even though she talked too much and was a little loud sometimes, the woman was helping her throughout the whole day, and had been really friendly to her since the beginning.

“And go fast. Food is going to get cold.” Barbara rushed her on purpose, complaining and making her even more nervous than she already was without her coworker to help her. 

She just looked at her boss and nodded, grabbing the first dish that was indicated with the number 17 and going straight to said table. She was confident she could do it, she was already doing it that whole day, she just needed to keep up. “Here you go, guys. 14oz rib-eye steak.” Gwen looked at the couple, but the two of them looked at each other like she was speaking in tongues. “You guys didn’t order that?” She asked once she realized something was wrong.

The answer was negative, of course. It was not even close to what they had order. Gwen apologized and went back to the front of the kitchen. But she was sure that was table 17, she had memorized the tables map like her life depended on it, and the restaurant was not very big. She reached in her pocket to find the paper were the table’s number was written on and she was not mistaken, that was supposed to be table’s 17 order. 

“There’s something wrong, Dylan.” She told the kitchen’s assistant. “Table 17 did not order this.”

“Can’t you do one single thing right?” Before the kitchen assistant even had the opportunity to understand the problem they had, Barbara stepped in the conversation, taking the crumpled paper with the table number off of Gwen's hands. “Those are Mark and Angela, of course they did not order steak, get it together, new girl.” She put the steak plate down and grabbed the dish with the paper that had the number 11 on it. “Go take a break and tell Kelly to come back. You don’t even know what you’re doing.” 

As much as Gwen wanted to say something about it, because it was somewhat unfair, she did not know exactly how she should express herself, or if she really could, so she ended up staying quiet and doing exactly what she had been ordered to do. That made her sick to her stomach. It was as if she could see herself getting into another really bad situation with someone treating her as inferior and useless.  
She went straight to the break room and switched places with Kelly. She was still confused about what could have happened with the wrong orders.

  


***

  


Gwen could not say that it had been the best of her days, nor had she managed to make her job performance even close to the perfect one she wished it was. Even though she knew it would take time before she was performing that role in the best possible way, she was somewhat disappointed in herself. Either way, she had managed to outwit and run from Barbara in the end of the day so she wouldn't have to hear any more insults that night. She would talk to her boss the next day, when both heads were clearer. The only thing Gwen would let her mind worry about that evening was the fact that she wished Hope had a better first day at school than the day she had. That and driving alone in Humberstone for the first time, considering that it was past 10 o’clock at night. 

She changed out of her uniform and let her hair down because the ponytail was already giving her a headache. She couldn't help but feel defeated, even though it was only her first day and she would get over it eventually. 

“Mommy!” Gwen thought it was only in her head, but when she was about to go out the back door, that little voice caught her attention and made her turn towards the hotel reception hall. Although it seemed too crazy to be true in the first second, she could really see Hope and Blake standing in the middle of the hall and waving at her. Her tired and disappointed face immediately shifted. Her lips curved upward as she took steps towards them, but even before she arrived, she was already laughing.

“What are you guys doing here?” Gwen picked Hope up and placed a long kiss on her cheek. “It’s way past your bed time.” Then she smiled at Blake and he leaned over a little to hug both of them briefly. 

“We came to celebrate your first day” He said. There was a smile dancing on his lips, as if he was more excited to be there than the little girl. “Did you eat something?”

“Yes, I just did.” She was unable to stop giggling. Their visit was really unexpected and she was very surprised, but it was just what she needed and they probably didn’t even know. 

“I thought you would have, that’s why we brought you some ice cream.” Blake said it like he was a talk show host presenting the best first place prize ever.

“You did?” Gwen exchanged cheerful looks between him and her daughter. 

“We did, mommy. It’s for the good job you did today.” Hope hugged her mother's neck and leaned her head against the woman’s cheek. “I told Blake chocolate is your favorite.” Blake winked at the little girl and it made it obvious that they had rehearsed some things before. “Good job, mommy!” She kept going as he watched and encouraged her.

“Thank you! What would I do without you guys?” Gwen sighed. “I can really go for some ice cream right now.” 

“Let’s go then. We’ve got some in the car for you.” Blake turned around and opened the inn’s door so she and Hope could get out before him. 

“In the car?” Gwen questioned and he started to explain how all the ice cream places would be closed that late, so they got some from their own freezer and put on a cooler with ice so they could all have it together. 

She was so impressed with the way everything had been meticulously planned so that they could be there to celebrate her first day at her new job. And they didn’t know she had a really bad day, but that didn’t even matter anymore. The simple gesture of being present and thinking of her was making her so happy. She wasn’t even mad that Hope was probably going to be overtired by the time they would get home later. 

Gwen took one last look back before leaving the inn and saw Barbara looking at them with a frown, from the reception desk. She still didn't know what the woman had against her, but from the first second Gwen knew that her judgments and her curiosity couldn't be normal and it had something to do with Blake, probably jealousy. Thanks to the day she just had, she knew that Barbara didn’t really like her presence and having her working at her inn should be hard to swallow, but Gwen decided at that moment that she wouldn’t let the woman ruin her new beginning and she wasn’t going to make it easy for Barbara to get rid of her either.

  


***

  


“Can you imagine? All those people looking at me like there’s something wrong with me or like I’m some bad kind of celebrity.” Gwen shook her head as if she was getting bad chills. She was reliving all the worst parts of her day while telling Blake what happened.

“It’s not like this.” He was understanding, but couldn't help but think it was a little funny, since she was telling the story with so much drama, as if it was a soap opera or something like that. He wasn’t surprised with Barbara’s role in it though, he knew her since he could remember. “They don’t think you’re bad, they’re just curious. They just wanna look at you. You’re different, you know? We’ve know each other forever. Everybody in this town knows everybody and nobody knows you, so they just wanna look.” 

“So I’m like a giraffe in the zoo?” She turned her head to look at him.

They were slowly walking down the lake’s boardwalk while they finished their chocolate ice cream. The weather was a little chilly, so she had thrown a light sweater over her summer dress. Hope was walking further ahead, but always where they could still see her. Not many people were around, since it was almost 11pm, and the lake’s waters were dark like the sky above them. 

“Yeah, pretty much.” Blake laughed. “Well, for now.”

“What do you mean?” She stopped to look at him again, and this time he looked back at her.

Blake took a couple of seconds to know exactly how he should say what he was going to say. “You’re a beautiful woman, Gwen.” He started this way because it seemed more important to him. “Smart, interesting, intriguing, different from anyone here.” Then he kept going. “Kind of mysterious, if you allow me to say.” He nervously laughed. “How long do you think it’s going to take until a small town guy falls in love with you?”

She wasn’t expecting that. Not the compliments, because she truly believed Blake was such a good guy that he would have nice things to say about literally anyone, but the “fall in love part”. She wasn’t ready to think about that either, because if someone asked her at that moment, she would say she would never fall in love again, nor did she want anybody falling in love with her. Instead of answering the question or commenting on that subject, Gwen just looked around to search for Hope. Her daughter was sitting on the boardwalk, holding her shoes over her lap and swinging her little legs out to try to reach the lake’s waters under the bridge.

“What about you?” When her eyes went back up to Blake's face, that question escaped her lips. “Are you in love?”

Blake thought about it, but he didn’t even know how to answer that, so they just stared at each other in silence for a couple of seconds, until he laughed. “There’s chocolate on your face.”

“What?” She was so distracted that she got confused for a second.

“It’s ice cream.” Blake explained, still laughing, then he turned to face her. Both of his hands went up to her face, one just holding the curve of her neck, and with the other one he used his thumb to brush the dry chocolate stain off of her cheek. Gwen tried to look away from him, but was paralyzed by his deep blue eyes when he stared right into her as if this way he could read her mind and end all the mystery about her.  
He kept stroking her skin even after the spot was completely clean. They’re so close to each other that she could feel him breathing her in and out, his breath touching her cheek. She didn’t know why but she felt so allured to him that it was even dangerous. “Ok, you look cleaner now.” He smiled, finally letting go of her and it snapped her right out of her trance.

Blake thought he wouldn’t be able to stop touching her for some reason. It was as if his hands were magnetically attracted to her soft skin. 

“Thanks” Gwen was so mad at herself and feeling slightly foolish. She quickly looked away, afraid he was going to notice she was blushing.

He immediately missed her eyes. Her brown eyes were dark like a deep mysterious ocean. So seductive and so unknown that he knew it could devour him if he tested the waters. He still wanted to dive in, though. But Blake couldn’t. He was even scared that he thought about it.

It was like they silently got to the same conclusion at the same time, because their eyes met again and they both timidly smiled at each other. 

“Hey Hope, let’s go, it’s very late.” Gwen was the one who broke their shared gaze, still somewhat uncomfortable, but when they walked together to where the little girl was, she playfully bumped her shoulder to Blake’s arm, making him laugh and bump hers back. It was just another simple gesture in which they both silently agreed that everything was fine between them, although they didn’t really understand what it was that they both felt when they looked into each other’s eyes that night.

  


***

  


It was so cold. The sky was covered with dark clouds, announcing the frightening storm that was to come. The wind was blowing violently, as if intending to warn that something wasn’t right. Gwen had both her hands holding tight to the wooden structure of Ember Lake’s bridge, in the exact same spot she had been with Blake and Hope before, but — despite the dark clouds turning the morning into a dark night — she knew it was still day differently from the last time she remembered being there. Something inside her chest knew it was a bad omen as she stared at the furious sky. Gwen was distressed, as if she needed to solve a urgent problem, but she didn’t know what or how and it was suffocating her. She felt lost, like that feeling when you wake up disoriented, and she didn’t even remember how she got there.

Suddenly, she felt a hand touching her shoulder, and didn't even need to turn around to know exactly who it was. She could even smell Blake when his body leaned behind hers and his arms wrapped around her. All the anguish inside was gone like vapor on open air. Out of nowhere Gwen felt warm and protected again. Her lips curved into a smile as his arms slowly turned her towards him, and then everything got very confusing and cold again when Gwen's eyes saw the person behind her. It wasn’t Blake, it was George. She gasped in despair, turning quickly to try to escape, but she crashed against the bridge’s wooden fence and her husband's agile hands grabbed her. She fought, but it was in vain. George grabbed her by the neck and made it impossible to breathe. He tightened his fingers until she completely lost her strength and started to slowly lose consciousness too.

Gwen woke up agitated, sitting up on the bed at once. She was completely out of breath like she had been under water for too long, and she could still feel the tight grip around her neck. It took her too long to understand it was only a dream and that everything was fine. It wasn’t more than just her head reminding her of the hell she knew too well. She could finally breathe again then, really urgent at first and calm right after. The tears poured out of her eyes and streamed down her face, but it was just because she was feeling relieved. “I’m safe.” She whispered breathlessly to herself “I’m safe.” And kept repeating it until her heart felt it.  
She slowly laid back down, resting her head on the comfortable pillow. Her eyes were back closed, so she just reached out to her left. Her hand searched for a couple of seconds, until she noticed she was alone in bed. Again, Gwen sat up quick, her head spinning. “Hope?”

  


***

  


Blake hated when he would fall asleep on the couch. He was too tall for that and didn't fit properly on the furniture, so he would always wake up with a bad back pain. He remembered sitting there for a little while as soon as they arrived after their boardwalk fun night, but he didn't know how he ended up falling asleep. It was still dark when he woke up, and the only light came from the tv that was on mute. Blake sat on the couch and rubbed his eyes, clearing his throat too and getting ready to get up and go to his room, hoping he hadn’t ruined his back so much just yet. But as soon as he opened his eyes again, he thought he saw, out of the corner of his eye, someone crossing behind the couch and walking towards the kitchen. He quickly got up. That was strange. The clock on the wall read 3:20 in the morning. Maybe someone was thirsty or hungry, but shouldn't they turn on the lights if that was the case? 

Blake walked towards the kitchen, keeping the house dark in case it was really an invader, but when he reached the next room, he realized that the situation was way stranger than he could have imagined: The figure in the dark was Hope. She was walking slowly towards the back door, which gave access to the deck behind the house, and did not even seem to notice his presence.

“Hope?” He called and reached to turn the lights on.

The little girl got to the end of the kitchen and instead of raising her arm to reach the handle, she just bumped into the glass door as if she didn’t see it.  
Blake strode forward to help her and thought Hope would start crying with that strong hit, but her body fell back a little and charged forward again in the next second, before he even got close enough. “Hope?” Blake grabbed her, preventing her head from hitting the door glass a third time.

Gwen arrived on the kitchen a second later and as soon as the scene caught her eye, she understood everything that was happening and why her daughter was out of bed that late. “Blake, she’s sleeping.” She told him.

“What?” He looked so confused and scared that she felt really guilty for completely forgetting to mention that Hope had those episodes sometimes. Blake was still holding the little girl against his chest, but he looked down to confirm that her eyes where closed. “What’s happening?” He asked, but already suspected what it might be.

“She sleepwalks sometimes. She hadn’t done it since we got here, but she does it sometimes.” She got closer to them and touched his shoulder. “It’s ok, you can let her go.” He seemed hesitant, but did what Gwen told him to do. “It’s better if you don’t wake her, just slowly guide her back to bed. If you wake her, she get really disoriented and sometimes doesn’t go back to sleep for hours.” She was showing him while guiding Hope across the kitchen. 

Blake followed them. They crossed the living room and went up the stairs until they got to their room and Gwen helped the little girl to get in bed. “I’m sorry.” He whispered to her, sitting on the edge of the mattress. 

Gwen tucked Hope in bed and kissed her forehead, then she sat right next to Blake. It was too dark, but they still could see each other because of how close they were. “Don’t be sorry, I’m grateful you were there. She could’ve gotten hurt if it wasn’t for you.” 

“I was scared.” He confessed. He was still scared if he was honest. He had never seen someone sleepwalking, let alone someone he had grown to care so much about. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“It’s scary. They say you get used to it, but it’s still scary because she’s so little.” She confessed too. Gwen quickly considered what she should say about her past and what she shouldn’t. “She used to do it a lot in California. All the time. I don’t think she was happy there.” 

Blake turned to look at her. He knew that he shouldn't ask too much and that if he did, she would probably shut down. But he also knew there was something in her past that bothered her deeply. Whatever it was, it often made her seem very unsure of herself as a mother, as if she had already failed her very young daughter. “You’re an amazing mother.” He whispered. “She will be happy here.”

Blake couldn’t help but reach for her hand that was resting on the bed, between them. The first touch of the finger caused intense goosebumps. They stared at each other in the dark, in silence. 

“I should go back to sleep.” She sighed and pulled her hand from under his. No more touching him for that night. She couldn’t do it. 

He cleared his throat and nodded. “Yes, of course.” He stood up to leave.

It was too disturbing for Blake to realize he was getting lost like that every time he spent an extra second looking into Gwen's eyes. It was as if he forgot who he was and his responsibilities, and that wasn’t even him anymore. It was too dangerous, he knew it, but those moments were the only ones when he no longer felt the emptiness inside him that used to make him drink so much or wish more from life. When he was staring into Gwen’s eyes, he could feel the energy inside him shifting and suddenly he wasn’t so unhappy and bored of his life anymore.

“Hey, Blakey.” Gwen called, making him turn around to face her again. “Good night.” 

“Good night.” Blake smiled at her, taking longer to look away then he should, just because he was still soaking up the different and so loving way she had called him.

And just like that, there he was, slowly letting himself drown even though he knew that there would be no coming back from it once he was completely underwater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell me what you think?


	4. Elementary School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so glad you guys are riding this ride with me.
> 
> Please, let me know what you think.

The noisy corridors of the Humberstone Elementary School somewhat resembled the loud city of Sun Valley, but only because Gwen felt like covering her ears frequently as she crossed over to her daughter's classroom. The place was not big at all, but some of the kids were definitely excited in there, for whatever reason, on a simple Tuesday afternoon in the middle of September. It was her day off of work and she spent it having some well deserved time to herself, which meant she did nothing really, just relaxed, took a bath without hurrying, rested a little more and got ready to leave the house when it was time to pick Hope up from school. Gwen still planned on cooking dinner for everybody when she was back. 

The colorful classroom was way smaller than the one Hope used to go to in California. It had a group of little tables and chairs organized together on one side, near a set of big cabinets, and a white board with a colorful foam playmat in front of it on the other side, next to the teacher’s desk.  
It wasn’t full of kids like it used to be in the mornings. Actually, when she got there, all that was left was Hope and two others, and they were sitting at the tables, working on something while their teacher organized a couple of things they were playing with before. 

“Mommy!” Hope saw Gwen before anyone else and dropped what she was doing to run to her. She hugged her mother’s legs as soon as she got to the open door. 

Gwen then picked her up and they rubbed their noses together as a sign of affection. “How was your day, love of my life?”

“Good” Her daughter excitedly answered. “I’m so happy you’re here.” And the girl proceeded to kiss her mother’s face again and again until they were both laughing. 

“Hey, Gwen, it’s so nice to see you.” Her teacher approached them with a friendly smile on her face. She was a very beautiful, tall and slim woman with a pale brown skin and dark eyes. “Do you think I can talk to you for a second?” She asked the other adult and motioned for her to enter the classroom. 

“Of course.” Gwen put Hope down again and followed the teacher inside, a bit worried. “Is something wrong?” She asked when they were close to the big windows at the end of the room, far away enough from the kids. 

“My name is Alicia.” The teacher introduced herself. Not in the usual formal way, as she had done at the meeting before the beginning of the school year, but in a personal way. “I’m 32 years old, married and mother of two boys. One of them is Hope’s age.” She said. 

“It’s very nice to get to know you better.” Gwen shook her hand and they smiled politely at each other. “I don’t have much to say about myself.” That was what she used to say to everyone there. “I’m just a girl from a big city looking for some peace in a quiet little town” It was like a memorized script and she was sounding like the synopsis of a very cliché book.

“I know you’re a teacher too, Dorothy told me.” Alicia said. “It’s a small town thing, we tell each other everything.” The tall friendly woman laughed. “Do you plan on staying in Humberstone for long or maybe forever?” 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that.” Gwen nodded and laughed too. She wasn’t really bothered by it anymore. “I hope we can stay forever.” She should add that she could only stay as long as it was safe, but she obviously said nothing. 

“I know you just got here and I imagine it must be really difficult to make friends in a town where everyone knows each other since they can remember.” Alicia said, seeming honestly understanding. “I just want you to know I’m here for you, if you need, even though I know that’s not exactly how you make friends.” 

Hope’s teacher was really nice, like most of the people from Humberstone, but there was something about her that made everybody around feel peaceful and at ease. Maybe it was the way she had a calm low voice, or the way her beautiful curly bulky hair floated when she was speaking. It was unclear what it was, but it was probably why she was such a great teacher and the kids loved her. 

“Thank you. It really is difficult.” Gwen sighed, but smiled again. “And I was never good at it either.” They both laughed. 

Alicia then calmly got to the subject she wanted to approach since the beginning. “See, it seems like Hope is having a hard time too.” She said.

“Is she?” The little girl’s mom got worried right away. Not being able to make friends was never a good thing for a child. “She didn’t mention anything.”

“She’s a tough cookie that one, I’m sure you know.” Alicia told her. “She probably knows her mom has a lot more important things to worry about, right?” 

Gwen was looking at Hope now, watching as the girl drew a big pink circle in the middle of a white sheet of paper. “I’m sure she knows.” Was all she was willing to say to her. 

“Girls are really mean at this age. A couple of them here in the classroom are being unkind to Hope, trying to exclude her because she’s new and from another place.” The teacher explained. “We’ve been monitoring and controlling the problem as much as we can inside the classroom and even talked to the girls' parents to see if the situation improved, but it didn’t.” As she was speaking, Gwen’s heart was breaking more and more by the second. She couldn’t believe that after all that her little girl have been through, now she had to deal with bullying too. “Today, when the situation started again, Hope finally stood up for herself, but I’m afraid she did it the wrong way.”

“Oh no, what did she do?” The mother was worried again. She feared Hope just couldn’t take it anymore and was using the only familiar way to defend herself. “Did she hit someone?”

“No, she didn’t.” Alicia quickly denied. “But she said some really strong words.” They stared at each other and the teacher lowered her voice. “I believe the words she used to refer to her classmates were: worthless whore.” 

Gwen choked. She thought her heart had stopped for a second, but it was actually beating faster than she could handle and it was hurting her chest. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” She honestly was. Not only for the kids and the teacher, but for her own daughter too. “I will talk to Hope. Is there anything you think I should do about this at home?” 

“Other than a conversation about how these words are really bad?” The teacher still seemed like the most patient and calm person in the whole world, even though she was talking about a very serious matter. “It depends, is there something about Hope that I should know? About her life or maybe something about your life that she might have witnessed?” 

Gwen held her breath. She was sure the color had escaped her face once again. She knew that opening up to Hope’s teacher, at least a little, would probably make her daughter’s life easier in school, since Alicia would be able to better understand her behavior, but it probably would mean that a lot of people would end up knowing too. It was a small town thing after all. “She probably heard it on the tv or something like that.” She decided to lie. 

“Oh, that’s completely normal.” The teacher nodded. “Just talk to her then. They’re all having less free time and being encouraged to talk about feelings more often. I’m sure we will all understand each other soon.”

Gwen sighed. “Please, I really need to know if the situation improves or not. About the other kids being mean to her too. I need to know that she is safe here, or I’ll have to teach her another way to stand up for herself.”

“I will do my best, and I will keep you updated on the situation.” Alicia promised. “But, Gwen, she’s safe here. They’re just kids, it will get better soon.” She didn't have to see that mother practically beg for her daughter to be safe to notice that something was wrong. She already knew. 

“I hope so.” It was all the mother said to her. 

It was very difficult for Gwen to digest the fact that Hope's life was still off track and the girl had kept it a secret for all that time. They had been in Humberstone for more than a month now and her daughter probably still didn’t feel like she belonged there, or anywhere else. The other children were making sure of that, and Hope wasn’t being treated the way she should be. Besides that, the girl was likely so tired and hurt that she was beginning to use sentences that referred to the trauma she used to suffer inside her own home. For Gwen that was the worst part. If she didn’t have Hope, she would probably still be in Sun Valley, being abused, intensely hurt and frequently raped and she wouldn’t have the strength to leave that situation. She would probably be stuck in the illusion that she deserved it and that her husband’s words were the absolute truth. There was a possibility that she might even be dead by now. Her daughter was the reason why she stood up and left that hell, If she was in a better place now, it was because Hope was the strength she needed. The little girl's life had to improve, she needed to be happy. Gwen would do everything she could to make her happy.

The two of them left the school together, and Gwen didn’t say anything about her conversation with the teacher until they were in the car, alone. 

“Hope, your teacher was just telling me about how the other girls are mean to you.” She said, right before locking the doors. She wasn’t really certain about how to start and carry that conversation. 

“I’m mean too.” Her daughter’s response to that was something she wasn’t expecting. 

“What do you mean?” The mother asked.

“They don’t like me because I’m not from here.” The girl said. “So they don’t want to play with me or sit next to me, like I’m sick or something. And they say I sound funny when I talk, so they laugh at me. But that’s ok, I don’t like to play with them either and I don’t wanna be their friend.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gwen asked, still feeling her heart breaking for her daughter. “You know you can tell me everything, right?”

“It’s ok, mommy, I’m not sad.” Hope reached out to touch her mother’s hand. “Don’t be sad, please. I don’t need those girls to be my friends.”

“I’m not sad.” She hurried to say. Maybe her daughter was hiding things from her because she was afraid she would make her sad and she would cry like she used to do. Maybe she needed to be tougher in front of her. “But what about what happened today? You know those words are not ok, right?” 

The little girl lowered her head and stared at her own feet, finally showing some fragility. “I know.” She whispered. “But they were being really mean. I told you I was mean too.”

Gwen was still torn by her word choice. “You’ve heard those words before. Didn’t you?”

“Yes.” Hope looked up to face her mother. The girl looked like she really regretted what she said in class. “Dad used to say it all the time. It’s a really bad thing, isn’t it?” 

“It’s a really bad thing.” Gwen nodded and squeezed her daughter’s hand. “When your dad said that, it wasn’t fair and it wasn’t true, and it was also not ok. I don’t want you repeating it, do you understand that?”

“Yes, mommy.” Hope nodded too. “Sorry.”

The mother leaned over to wrap her arms around the girl and hug her tight. “It’s ok, baby. We’ll be ok.” Then she let go and sat back straight to finally turn the car on, but before leaving the school parking lot, she looked at her daughter one more time and asked the question that was stuck in her throat. “Are you happy here?”

Hope seemed like she had to think for a second, but she nodded right after. “Yes, mommy. I have you, Dot and Blakey.” 

Gwen smiled at her. She could be having a hard time in school, but she was definitely happy with her new friends at the simple white house on little swamp lane. Hope was finally having a healthy experience at home and her mom could not be more grateful for that. 

  


***

  


Blake was so tired. Since he was so used to the heavy work he did, he didn’t really have many tiring days, but that one was definitely one of them. He had worked long hours, from 7am to almost 7pm. On top of that, it had rained all day, which made Blake even less energetic than he normally was. He finally got home. The sky was lazily darkening, in the same slow pace that the hot summer was surrendering itself, little by little, to the spring that would come soon. The weather was nice, but the smell of rain in the air and the dark clouds over the little white house did not hide that the night would be as melancholy as the rest of the day was. Despite this, Humberstone was as calm as it ever was. The quiet little swamp lane was silent as a rock, the waters of the lake Ember were peaceful and the only thing Blake could hear when he got out of his truck was the wind gently shaking the leaves of the trees in the Stone Woods, announcing the coming rain.

Strangely, the house in front of him was completely dark. He thought that probably Gwen and his mom decided to dine out. It was a school night, so they should be back soon. Maybe he should enjoy the time alone, since he wasn’t getting much of that.  
Blake put the key in the lock and turned it, opening the front door to enter, and then quickly discovered that he wasn’t alone at home, as he had thought. A low music was coming from somewhere upstairs and he could see a light on too. He went slowly up the stairs, step by step. His original intention wasn’t to sneak up on anyone, he was only trying not to scare them. But when he got to the second floor, on the hallway, he saw that the light and the music were coming from the common bathroom, and the person in there was Gwen. She was looking in the mirror, trying to see something on her back, too distracted to notice he was looking at her. She was only wearing a pair of low-rise shorts and her bra.  
Blake was aware that he should look away and leave before he was noticed, but he just couldn’t. So he ended up staying. He couldn’t help but thoroughly scan her body, her curves, the spots on her skin, the way her platinum blonde hair fell down her shoulders and back. She had a perfect silhouette in his eyes, and he was trying to memorize every detail of her, especially the ones he had never seen before. But it didn’t take long until he felt really bad for invading her privacy like that. That was not the kind of thing he would normally do and he had no idea why he was doing it. Suddenly he felt so stupid, as if he was a teenager again, peering through the window of the girls’ locker room because that was the only way he could see a woman half naked. 

He was ready to turn around and go back downstairs when Gwen turned her back to him. For a second, he thought she had seen him, but she didn’t. Then that really bad bruise on her back caught his attention. It was probably the size of his thumb now, shaped like a round cloud, but it looked like it had been bigger before. It was dark purple in the center, then a softer blood red until it faded to its greenish edges. It didn’t seem like it was recent, and it probably couldn’t be, because a bruise like that had to be from something serious and he would know if she had gotten in an accident or something like that. Upon looking, he noticed she had a couple of other green or purple spots on her back, but none of them were so noticeable or bad like the bigger and darker one in the middle. 

Gwen put her large gray t-shirt back on and Blake fixed his posture and cleared his throat, finally letting her know he was there too. 

“Oh my God! You scared the shit out of me.” She reached the old radio to turn it off and looked at him, who was standing in the middle of the hallway. “Sorry, your mom and Hope went to the lake. She said she was going to text you so you would join them. I wasn’t expecting you guys to come back before dark.” 

“I don’t think she texted me.” He said. “But why are you sorry? It’s your house too.”

“Nothing.” She was sorry for being shirtless in the common bathroom with the door wide open, but maybe he didn’t see anything. “I made dinner. Are you hungry?”

Gwen passed Blake in the hall, smiling briefly in his direction. Blake smiled back. He noticed she smelled like flowers and that the oversized gray shirt covered her shorts completely, like she was wearing a very short dress. “Yes, I’m hungry.” 

The truth was that he was really tired and longing for a warm shower and his bed more than anything, but for some reason, the idea of spending more time with Gwen was so much more tempting, so he gladly followed her downstairs. 

“So, this terrible thing happened today.” She said while turning the stove on to heat up the pasta she made. “Hope swore at school and the teacher told me the other kids are bullying her.” 

“Hey, you don’t have to do that.” Blake was standing right next to her. He didn’t like the idea of Gwen thinking she needed to take care of him. He was the one who was always taking care of everybody. 

She slapped his hand when he tried to take the spoon from her. “Go sit down, and let me do this once.”

Blake laughed. “Ok, sorry.” He took a few steps back and sat at the table. Still close enough to keep the conversation going. “What are the kids doing to her?”

“They won’t play with her, or even sit next to her, just because she’s from another state and because of her accent.” Gwen had her back to him, but he could still hear in her voice how upset she was. “So she doesn’t have any friends and I didn’t even noticed.” 

“What the hell?” Blake was really surprised and kind of mad about it. “Kids are terrible to each other. Why is that?” He stood up to grab some water.

“Girls are mean to other girls. When we are born, the world tells us we’re in it against each other.” She said, and he listened carefully. Although they were building a solid friendship, Blake still spent part of his time trying to figure her out. “But Hope really said some screwed up things to the other kids. She’s not really my favorite today.” 

“Can you blame her?” He shook his head. “Putting up with the other kids’ crap for this long. What did she say?”

“She called them worthless whores.” She told him.

Blake spat his water all over the table when she said that and started coughing and laughing at the same time. 

“You’re so gross!” She complained because she was in the middle of the way, bringing his hot plate to him and the water splashed on her. “Stop it. It’s a serious matter. Are you ok?” But he couldn’t stop, no matter what, and she was laughing too. “Shut up, Blake!”

She sat right next to him. “No she did not say that. Hope is a cute little thing, she wouldn’t say that. They’re lying to you, Gwen.” Blake was still laughing so hard that he had tears in the corner of his eyes.

“Yes, she did.” Gwen stopped laughing and stared at him. “She did it because that’s how her father used to call me.” And then, suddenly it all went silent. It wasn’t an accident, she had said it on purpose, not to shock him, but to give a little piece of herself to him. Although it was a very heavy piece. “That’s what I was to him. I was worthless. Some liability he had to deal with everyday. A pile of garbage, I believe he said once.” 

“Gwen, I-” She reached out to place her hand over his mouth before he had the change to finish his sentence.

“Please, don’t patronize me.” She whispered. 

Blake was so shocked that he didn't even know exactly what to say, but he felt his whole body heat up with anger with every word she had said. Mostly because he quickly linked those facts to the bruises he had seen on her back. How a man could do that to any woman was a question he was never going to be able to answer, let alone to the mother of his daughter, regardless of whether she was his wife or not.  
Blake took Gwen’s hand off his mouth and held it with both of his, as if it was enough to protect her from everything. 

“He liked to bring me down, because the smaller I felt, the more he could dominate me. He was manipulative, a perfect liar, very aggressive and he is the reason why I had to run away from home with Hope. He would never let me get out the front door at day light.” It felt like all the weight of the world had been lifted off of Gwen's shoulders when she finally let it all out. She even took a deep breath. “Oh my God it’s so good to finally say this. I don’t think I ever said it out loud before.” She sounded relieved. She couldn't take it anymore, hiding it was slowly killing her, and she had done it for too long already. 

There was no one with whom she wanted to share all that more than Blake. And nobody better than him to get to know her completely like that.

He understood very well that she didn't want him to feel sorry for her, and he really wasn’t. That woman in front of him was the strongest he had ever known. “Did he physically hurt you?” He asked because he wanted to know everything. 

Gwen had a brief flashback to shoves, slaps, punches, pushes and pulls, and even bites. Everything was fresh in her memories and it would be forever. “Sometimes.” 

Blake's hand went up her arm to her shoulder and he squeezed it lightly before moving up to her face, not being able to decide where he wanted to touch and what he could do to ease her. He never had to deal with a situation like that, and the anguish he felt was a completely new feeling for him. One that was worse than the emptiness he used to feel inside him.  
His other hand still held on tightly to hers. "You did the right thing." He said, but the distressful feeling he had inside was transparent on his face. Blake wished he could make that coward man suffer more than he had done to her. “He won’t touch you here, you’re safe.”

She appreciated his words, and really had been feeling that way ever since she stepped in that small town with him. But it wasn’t that simple. “The reason why I’m telling you this is because, besides the fact that he still disturbs Hope’s life, he also still lives inside of me. I will never be able to be what I was before him. There’s a me before him, one during the time I was with him and there’s this me that you know. These are three different people and the last one is so broken that she doesn’t even know who she is anymore. This one is the one you have in your life, and your mother’s life. And it’s probably the same with Hope. We need time to heal.” 

Blake's thumb was slowly stroking the skin on Gwen's cheek as he listened carefully to what she was saying. It broke his heart into a thousand irregular pieces and all he wanted to be able to do was take all the trauma and pain she held in her heart and make it his own. He wouldn't mind feeling it all if she and Hope didn’t have to anymore. “Don’t worry about that. You will figure it out and we will be right here with you.”

She laughed, but it sounded sad. “It’s not that simple.” She had a single tear streaming down her face, and Blake quickly brushed it away, not the way George used to do, but in a patient and loving kind of way. She felt the difference in his touch. 

“It is. You’re our family now too. You and Hope. You’ll always be. We take care of family.” Blake shrugged, moving his hand away from her face. “Plus you can do whatever you want now. No one is going to control you. You will enjoy this new Gwen really soon, I’m sure.” 

“Why are you so nice?” Gwen genuinely asked him, smiling and resting her elbows on the wooden table to support her chin on both open hands. “People are not that nice. I mean, ever.”

Blake’s heart skipped a beat. She was so beautiful, looking at him with a playful smile on her clean face. Seeming genuinely interested in him and his reasons for being a good person, but what about her? How could she be so good and so caring after everything she had been through? How could anyone do any kind of harm to someone like her? Someone with that pure smile dancing on her perfectly pink lips and that expression of interest and mischief at the same time. Blake wished he could talk to the man who had hurt her. He only wished for one hour alone with that worthless piece of shit, regardless of who he was. 

Then his phone suddenly started to ring and he realized that he had been silent for a long time, looking at Gwen with a stupid smile. They laughed at each other as if the familiar ringtone was something too funny, and then he felt his chest drop when he saw Ashley’s name on his phone screen. It was like she knew it, and suddenly Blake was feeling really wrong and dirty. 

“It’s Ash, I have to pick up. I told her that I would call her as soon as I got home.” But he wasn’t planning on that, even before he saw Gwen and they started to talk. He just wanted to go home and rest, he would call her next day. 

“Sure, you have to pick up.” Gwen encouraged him. “Just heat up your food again when you get back.”

Blake had completely forgotten about the food and everything else after the conversation they had, but he nodded before opening the back door and exiting to the deck. Gwen left the kitchen right after. 

“Hey, Ash.” He picked up.

“Hey, silly, what were you doing?” She asked, with an excited voice. “I called you twice.” 

“Sorry, I didn’t see it. I had a very long day and was having dinner.” Blake explained, even though it wasn’t really the reason why he didn’t pay any attention to his phone ringing. He felt really bad again, so he decided to add something. “I was talking to Gwen.” Maybe Ashley would notice the way he said Gwen’s name. Maybe she would address that subject and make him be honest with her since it seemed like, for the first time in his life, he wasn’t brave enough. 

“Oh, Gwen! Yes, I wanted to talk about her.” His fiancée said, making the color flee from his face. Did she really noticed it? “I’ll be in town this weekend. Do you think she can get Saturday off?”

“What? For what?” Blake got really confused because he was certain she would talk about his twisted feelings for the other woman. Even though Ashley was far away and probably had no reason at all to believe he could ever think about being unfaithful to her. They were dating for too long, about to get married and Blake had never thought about a single other woman before in his life, romantically or sexually, although, to be fair, he hadn’t really thought about Ashley either for the past couple of years. 

And yet he had acted like a horny teenager around Gwen and her half naked body earlier. That was still embarrassing to him.

“I was thinking about taking her to the Scarlet on Saturday night.” Ashley laughed. “I know it’s just a stupid bar, but we haven’t been there in so long and it’s where we’ve grown up and made friends.” She explained to him, and Blake was starting to think it was a good idea. “Plus, I have someone I want her to meet. He’s a good friend of mine, from college.” 

He felt his face getting hot. “He? You want Gwen to meet some college guy?” Blake snorted and then he realized that he was probably sounding stupidly jealous and he shouldn’t. “It’s because Gwen has been through a lot, Ash.”

“What do you mean?” His fiancée suddenly turned her voice into a soft and worried one. “What did she tell you?”

But he could never tell. “I-I don’t know, it’s what I imagine, you know? With her coming all the way from California to a town like Humberstone.”

“Oh, I know, I imagine a lot of things too.” Ash laughed again. “But I think we just may be watching a lot of tv. This girl needs to do something different, Blake. She just works and does nothing for fun. You told me my mom is making her life a living hell, which I completely believe. We’re taking her to the Scarlet this weekend and that is set. I’m bringing my friend to meet her because I told him about her and he’s very interested, and she can have even more fun if she likes him.” Blake felt his stomach turn. “And then, if she’s having fun, maybe you’ll have some time for me and we can have fun too, you know?” Her voice was suddenly low and her tone became silky and insinuating. 

Blake saw his mom and Hope walk in the front door right at that moment and didn’t even pay full attention to what Ashley was saying.

“I gotta go, Ash, my mom just got here.” He said.

“Ok, but that’s a yes for the weekend, right?” She insisted. 

“I will talk to Gwen about it.” Blake told her. “But I will not pressure her about your friend. I will tell her he’s just your friend and that’s it. No blind date. I don’t want her saying yes to some guy because she thinks it will make you happy.”

“That’s ok, you can do that.” His fiancée giggled. She was sure he was being protective of Gwen because he felt responsible for her and she thought they were probably like family now. Kind of like brother and sister. But she had no idea.

“I really gotta go.” He said it again. 

“Ok, silly. Good night. Call me tomorrow. I love you.”

“Good night.” Then Blake quickly hung up the phone. He was still feeling like the worst person in the world because of Ashley and he would probably have to talk to her about his different feelings for Gwen, although he wasn’t even sure about anything himself.

It wouldn’t be at that moment, though. He was more interested in his mom, Gwen and Hope that were reunited in the living room laughing about something. Blake just really wanted to be part of that simple family moment, it didn’t even matter what it was that was making them all laugh like that. He didn’t even know and was already laughing himself on his way to join them.


	5. The Scarlet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m getting so many nice comments here, it’s crazy. You guys are so awesome. Thank you so much for reading my crazy story. Really, I appreciate you so much for showing it some love. 
> 
> Now let’s get to the craziness.  
> Welcome back to Humberstone.

It had been a long time since Gwen set foot in a place like that, although the cozy and inviting atmosphere of the small town pub was something she had never experienced in California. Even though she was naturally intimidated by last minute planned social situations like that one, and had been a little unsure when Blake invited her, the night out wasn’t that bad. The Scarlet was a small bar located in downtown Humberstone, right next to the lake’s boardwalk. It had a rustic style, big chandeliers and fake deer heads hanging on the wall. The wooden tables were scattered around the corners and the place had a large dance floor in the middle, some old arcades, a couple of TVs on sport channels and a bar with hundreds of different bottles of alcohol drinks displayed behind the bartender.  
Gwen couldn’t help but think that was the kind of place she would never voluntarily chose to spend her night at, but that was a prejudgment, because the bar actually had a good environment and great vibes, especially after her third martini. 

Blake also hadn’t been to The Scarlet in a long time. He didn’t really have much time for that kind of entertainment anymore, and since his father died, he actually didn’t feel like going out to have any kind of fun at all, those things just became unpleasant to him. But the bar he spent his whole adolescence and young adult days at wasn’t so bad that night. He was sitting next to a lightly drunk Gwen, who was laughing at absolutely everything he was saying, regardless of whether it was really a joke or not. The only bad side was Barrett, Ashley’s friend, who would constantly insert himself in their conversation. He wasn’t a bad guy, apparently, but Blake was already tired of his presence, his voice and the way he was trying to be extra friendly. 

“Hey guys!” Ashley walked in The Scarlet almost an hour after the other three. “Sorry I’m late, I had to help my mom with something. She won’t leave me alone when I’m home.” The girl joined them in the bar and greeted one by one.

“It’s ok, Blake told us.” Gwen smiled at her. She couldn’t do anything but smile, and she wasn’t even that drunk. Maybe she was just happy, and that was really weird to her.

Ashley quickly noticed that Blake was comfortably sitting between Gwen and Barrett and cast an unfriendly look in his direction. “I need to talk to you, Blake.” She said. Her voice had a serious tone and she wasn’t smiling.

He immediately got a bit worried. “What did I do?” Blake asked as he was standing up from his spot at the bar. Gwen immediately laughed at what he said, and he felt like laughing too, but he didn’t. 

He and his fiancée got separated from the other two, leaving them seated at the bar and finding an empty table on the other side of the place. Blake was very curious and somewhat worried about what Ashley had to say, but the separation of the group was way more uncomfortable for him than anything else. He couldn’t deny that. 

“What are you doing?” She looked at him like he was a child who was about to step out of line. “Let them sit and talk alone.”

“What? I was supposed to sit here, across the bar and just look at them?” He was a little offended by that, even though he was aware it was bothering him a bit more than it should. “You were late and I wasn’t just going to leave her with a complete stranger. I didn’t think this was the reason why you invited her to go out.” 

“The reason I invited her to go out was him.” Ashley was still calm, even with Blake behaving as if her asking him to leave Gwen with Barrett was like a crime. “I like Gwen, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I don’t want to spend time with her, but we had a plan, remember?”

“You had a plan.” He corrected her. “I wasn’t part of this, I still think it’s wrong.” 

His fiancée finally let out a long impatient sigh. “Why are you acting so weird today?” She asked. “And don’t say you’re not. You didn’t even want to see me in the morning.” 

“Sorry.” Blake honestly apologized. He was aware of his behavior, just didn’t want to talk about it, although he knew that the best thing to do was actually talk about it. “I’ll try to be better. I know I’ve been kind of distant these past few days.”

“Days? Couple of years you mean, right?” Ashley definitely wasn’t so patient anymore. 

“Sorry.” He apologized again. “Do you want to talk about it? I think we should talk about it.” The brief courage he felt was pushing him forward on that conversation. 

She thought about that. “You know what? Let’s talk about it later. Can we enjoy this night without wasting time being annoyed by something that doesn’t really matter? We’ll be ok anyway, right?”

Blake also had to think about it. “Ok, but we’ll talk about it later. I think we really should.” 

“Ok, silly.” Ashley giggled. “Let’s order some drinks. What are you having?”

They started an unimportant conversation about their lives and routine. Blake would constantly turn to look at the two other members of the group who were sitting at the bar, but he didn’t approach that subject with Ashley anymore. He had decided that he would comply with her request, and they would have a nice night out at The Scarlet so they could later talk about the serious things they should be talking about. If that’s what she wanted, then that‘s how it should be. He didn’t want to be a jerk earlier than he had to. And he surely would be a jerk later. 

  


***

  


“So what’s your story?” Barrett asked right when the friendly bartender was serving them another round of drinks. Gwen wasn’t even sure of what she was drinking anymore. 

“I don’t have a story.” She answered, already sipping her strong martini. That was what she was drinking. “I have no story to tell. I’m really boring.” 

“Really?” The guy laughed. “I heard you’re a mysterious girl from California who dropped everything and moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere.” 

Gwen shrugged. “That’s me.” There was not even the possibility of a lie there. Apparently someone had already told him everything they knew about her. Maybe they just left Hope out of it. She thought about the chance of that person being Blake, but quickly dismissed that idea. “But there’s nothing mysterious about it. I was sick of California and just wanted to live in a small community. What’s wrong with wanting some peace and quiet?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I completely understand.”

Barrett was a tall blonde guy, but not as tall as Blake. He had light hazel eyes and was dressed in a gray chambray shirt and jeans. Gwen thought he was a very handsome man, and she wasn’t the only one who noticed it, she caught other women looking their way a few times. She quickly realized — with some discomfort — that he was extremely interested in her even before they exchanged more than a few words, and it wasn’t difficult to understand that it was due to someone who had already talked about her before they met, like she had noticed before. It got clearer and clearer as they started talking. He knew too much about her.  
Besides that, what Gwen had noticed so far was that Barrett was a nice guy, yet very ordinary. He would be graduating at the end of that semester and had a good job waiting for him in his hometown, where his family still lived. No big hopes and dreams, no extraordinary plans for the future and his personality seemed just right, nothing special there either. Alone with Barrett, she wasn’t laughing until her face was hurting anymore, that was the reason why she missed Blake when he left with Ashley. However, that wasn’t the only reason, but she didn’t even like to think about that.

“And what’s your story? Since it seems like you already know everything about me.” Gwen tried to pull something out of him. Something interesting that maybe would keep her mind off of what she didn’t want to think about. “Tell me something good.”

Barrett laughed. He wasn’t expecting her to say that, but he liked it. Unexpected had always attracted him. “I’m an only child.” He said. 

She immediately looked at him with disbelief, and then pretended to be shocked. “No way.” But she was clearly joking. 

He laughed once again. “You didn’t let me finish.” He was also attracted to her fun personality, although he didn't know her well enough to tell if it was her or the drinks. “I was supposed to just take care of my father’s business, but I had other plans.” 

Gwen turned to him. “It seems like this is one of those small town things, isn’t it? Disappointing the parents.” She giggled, still just having a playful conversation. 

“Maybe.” Barrett was still laughing too. “But the thing is, my father sells guns for a living, and it’s something that goes against what I believe.” He explained and suddenly had her full attention. “He doesn’t do it because he likes it, but it’s the family’s business, you know?” She nodded quickly. “But I don’t think I could live with it. Not the way it is at least. It’s already hard for me to just go on with my life when I think about the possibility that a woman in an abusive relationship could have been killed by a gun he sold.” 

A cold chill went up Gwen's spine. She immediately felt exposed and thought seriously about the possibility that Barrett knew everything about the life she had before, even more than anyone else in Humberstone. He could have been sent there by George, to find her, and was now playing some kind of game to get close to her and the people she liked. It was either that or Blake had told the guy what she entrust to only him. She didn't want to believe that second option, but also knew she shouldn't go crazy thinking about the first one. She was safe — her head reminded her — and probably just being a little paranoid. 

“I understand.” Was all she said about it, and quickly filled her mouth with another sip of her drink. “And what are you doing here today? I mean, are you Ashley’s best friend or something?” She was desperate for that conversation to take another direction, and thought that asking him a lot of questions was the best way to find out more about that strange man. 

Barrett laughed. “That’s really funny” He looked at her, thinking that she was really funny, or maybe the alcohol was finally getting the best of her. Gwen stared back at him, as confused as he was and not knowing exactly why the question was confusing to him. He then understood that, for some reason, her question was serious. “What do you mean? I came here for you.” He said. 

Her fear then grew to the point that she couldn’t breathe. “For me?” She was sure he was going to confess everything about knowing George and being there because of him. 

“Yes of course.” He was really laughing out loud by then. “They set this up for us. You didn’t know?”

“What?” Gwen could not believe that. “Like a blind date or something?” 

“You really didn’t know?” Barrett stopped laughing and even got a little worried when he looked at her completely shocked face. “They scheduled this so we could meet. Ashley has been telling me about you for weeks now.”

That whole story hit her like a runaway truck. She even felt a little dizzy. She looked towards the table where Blake and Ashley were sitting together and felt her throat dry. Gwen could not believe Blake had set that up to practically push her to Ashley's friend without her consent. Someone she knew he didn’t even know before that day. She felt betrayed. It didn't even seem like the kind of thing he would do, but given that, she couldn't help but question whether she really knew Blake.

“Are you ok?” When Gwen realized, Barrett was holding one of her arms and she had already come down from the high bar stool where she was sitting. 

“Yeah.” She nodded. “I think I just need some air. I might have drank too much.” 

“Ok, let’s go outside for a while.” He placed his hand on her shoulder to guide her out.

She looked at Blake one more time, but he was distracted looking at Ashley while she was talking and motioning something with her hands to him. She quickly thought about the many reason he could have to do that to her: Maybe he was tired of spending time with her everyday and needed someone else to do that. Maybe she had stayed at his house for too long and a boyfriend could probably encourage her to leave. Maybe Ashley knew she may have some misunderstood feelings for Blake, or worst, maybe he knew it. 

Regardless, he didn’t even noticed they were leaving and Gwen’s heart was a little broken. 

  


***

  


“And then he said that the other classes were also canceled and people needed to leave.” Ashley was in the middle of a story about something that happened in her college that week when Blake noticed that Gwen was not at the bar anymore, and he didn’t listen to one single word she said after that.

His fiancée was sitting next to him now, on the long booth seating. One of her arms was around his neck and she was so close to him that he could barely see the bar from behind her. 

“Do you see our friends?” Blake asked, being very careful with the way he was going to address that situation. 

“Hmm.” She looked around, a little annoyed that he was interrupting her because of that. “No, I don’t see them. I’m sure they’re ok.”

“Did she text you? Did your friend text you?” He insisted. “I mean, if they were leaving we should know, right? They should have told us. Gwen would tell me.”

“I’m sure they’re just fine.” Ashley said again, but it was obvious on his face that Blake wouldn’t drop it, so she sighed. “I gotta go to the bathroom, so I can look for them on the way, ok?”

“Ok.” He agreed. “Let me know if you find them.” His fiancée giggled a little at his worried face and then leaned forward to kiss his lips quickly before getting up to leave. 

Blake watched while she crossed the bar and moved towards the toilets on the right, next to the arcades. He waited until Ashley was out of sight to get up too. He wasn’t going to wait for her, he wanted to look too. The disappearance of the other two was very suspicious and he did not see a reason for that.

  


***

  


“I can’t believe you didn’t know about me.” Barrett was even more disappointed that she didn’t know about their planned date then she was. She wasn’t disappointed at all, she was just plain mad. 

They were standing on the outside part of The Scarlet. It had a few wooden benches, a couple of trash cans and a fence with a decorative string of lights wrapped around them. It was very cold that late September night, so Gwen was thankful for the very warm and comfortable leather jacket and pair of jeans she was wearing that day.  
The back part of the bar had a few people talking, since the music was loud inside, and a hand full of other people smoking. Barrett was now one of those people, while Gwen just had her back leaned against the brick wall behind her, still angry about Blake lying to her. 

“I didn’t know about you.” She confirmed to him. “I definitely didn’t know you were coming all the way here for me.” 

“Maybe Ashley’s boyfriend was supposed to tell you, but he didn’t. She said they were planning everything together.” He said. 

Gwen felt her face getting hot, even with the cold weather. “What else did she say?” 

“She said he has been acting weird lately and that she needed to spend more time with him.” Barrett shrugged. “I don’t know the guy, but he does seems weird to me too.” 

That was not the kind of information Gwen wanted. “He’s my friend.” She suddenly got really protective of Blake. “He’s not weird. He’s a really nice guy and an amazing friend.”

“She said you live with him.” He took a final drag on his cigarette and put it out, throwing it away right after. “Don’t you think that’s weird?” 

“No.” Gwen shook her head. “Why would it be weird? He has an extra room and I pay rent. It’s a temporary thing. I’m new here.” She was explaining herself, even though she didn’t have to. 

“Hey, that’s ok.” Barrett got closer and leaned his back against the wall too, right next to her. “I just think that he should have told you about me, since he knew.” 

“Yeah. He should have.” Gwen sighed. 

That was the first time she was noticing that he was using his body to impress her. He kept tilting his chest back and forth to get her attention. He really had a nice body — strong arms, a broad chest and shoulders — and she hadn't noticed it until then, even though he seemed to be trying really hard to make her look at him. But she quickly got distracted again as soon as the back door opened and a couple of people went out to the outside part where they were. In the middle of those people, she saw Blake’s face, and he seemed to be looking for something. 

Gwen acted fast and without thinking. She grabbed Barrett's shirt and pulled it so that he turned on his side, left shoulder to the wall now. She also turned her body to face him. "Do you want to kiss me?"

“What?” He got kind of disoriented because he definitely wasn’t expecting that. 

“Didn’t you come all the way here for this?” She asked him. “If you want to kiss me, do it now.”

There was no reason for Barrett to think about it. Even if he didn't want to kiss her before — which he very much did — he would now. One of his hands held her neck, and he pulled her slightly towards him. Gwen closed her eyes and ignored any last cry for help from her own mind. That was not her, it was a desperate attempt to attract attention that also did not suit her. But she was allowed to not be her best self that night, so she was doing exactly what had been planned, behind her back, by her two friends.  
The first touch of lips was cold and felt very wrong for her, but Barrett didn’t seem to mind. He tasted like cigarettes with a touch of alcohol and lime when his tongue invaded her mouth and his hand firmly held her waist. His other hand on her neck went up a bit and his fingers got tangled in her hair. He pulled it a little, just to free his hand, but it was enough to snap her out of her brief moment of bravery and childish revenge. 

Gwen pushed him away. “Sorry.” Her voice was just above a whisper. “I don’t know what I’m doing.” She wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or to herself. 

“Hey, it’s ok.” He didn’t move and didn’t dare to touch her anymore. “We don’t have to do anything.”

For some reason, she felt like crying and got really mad at herself for that. She wasn’t going to cry right there. Not in front of a stranger she happened to just kiss.

Gwen looked around, but there was no sign of Blake. Maybe she would never know if he saw it, and was secretly hoping that he didn’t. “Can we go inside? It’s really cold.”

“Of course. Let’s go.” Barrett agreed right away and they didn’t say anything else to each other while they made their way back inside. 

  


***

  


The rest of the night at The Scarlet was really awkward. Gwen and Barrett joined Blake and Ashley at their table for a couple more drinks and some french fries, but the conversation just wasn’t happening naturally anymore. Blake and Gwen didn’t even look at each other. Barrett wasn’t sure if he should talk to Gwen after the way she pushed him away. Ashley was really mad at Blake because she didn’t find him at the table when she came back from the toilet, and he would like to punch Barrett’s face at full force if he could. So the not so bad, fun night out, kind of twisted double date, at The Scarlet just ended with everyone stuffing their faces with food and not talking at all. 

Barrett left. Blake took Ashley home and Gwen pretended she was too drunk to say goodbye to anyone of them, even though she was completely sober then and very aware of everything. She laid in the back seat and stayed like that until she was alone with Blake in his truck, going back home. Then she felt like talking again. 

“So much for my first night out here.” She sat up on the back seat and positioned herself in the space between the two front seats so she could look at him.

“Oh I think you got a lot out of tonight.” Blake didn’t sound friendly at all.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She frowned.

“I saw you kissing Ashley’s friend. I don’t think you can complain about tonight.” He said. His eyes were on the road, he didn’t even look at her for a second. 

“Wasn’t it what you two planned?” Gwen got tired of his offensive tone and quickly went straight to the point. “I hope it was all according to your big plan, Blake.”

“What? I didn’t plan anything.” Blake finally took his eyes of the road and looked at her. It was quick, but he was able to see how upset she looked. “I didn’t. Ashley did, she told the guy about you. Don’t put the blame on me, you kissed him because you wanted to.”

“And what if I wanted to?” Her voice tone was louder now, and she was getting really mad at him. “I can kiss whoever I want.” 

“Damn right you can.” He frowned too. 

Gwen felt like her head was going to explode and she had to yell at Blake, but she held it back. Instead, she leaned forward between the two seats and reached out to grab the steering wheel. "Stop this car." She yelled. He was forced to brake quickly until the car abruptly stopped. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Blake tried to ask, but she opened the back door and got out of the car before even listening to anything he had to say. 

She needed air. She really needed fresh air or she would probably go crazy inside of that car. As soon as she was out, she took a deep breath and her whole body started shaking, so she had to sit down on the sidewalk.  
Blake just watched her. He was worried that something bigger was bothering her and she wasn’t telling him because she was mad about the planned date. The one he didn’t approve at all. If she only knew. 

“Did you tell him about me? About what I told you?” She asked, her eyes moving in his direction to deeply stare at him. It was a serious question. 

“No. Are you crazy? I would never do that.” He honestly said, getting closer to sit on the sidewalk by her side. He wasn’t even worried about the abandoned open car on the side of the road anymore. “I didn’t even know the guy before today. Ashley told me about how interested he was in you because of how much she told him about you and I just thought that maybe if I didn’t tell you about this and about him, you wouldn’t have to deal with that, you know? I didn’t think you wanted that, but if you did, then you could decide after meeting him and not before.” 

The knowledge of Blake's good intentions made her chest tighten and Gwen felt so stupid. Of course he had done all that thinking of her, that was his genuine way of being. Blake cared about everyone else before himself and she knew it very well by then. She didn’t know why she listened to a guy who didn’t even know Blake at all.  
Gwen felt like crying again, but this time she let her eyes water as she laid her head comfortably on his shoulder. She was so lost that, as she had said to him a few days before, she didn't even know who she was anymore.

“I’m so sorry.” She softly cried. 

Blake wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. He stayed silent because he knew it was what they both needed, but he did not fail to contemplate the fact that she was not the only one who was wrong that night. He was also wrong. He should have told Gwen about Barrett, even though he didn't know him. He was jealous when he shouldn’t be, he got angry when he didn’t have the right to, and he had come to judge her the way others had done before — he didn’t even like to think about that one — besides that, he didn’t talk to Ashley about what he knew he had to say because he was angry. Now he would have to find another opportunity for that. Not that night, though. Blake would postpone it one more time so he could stay with Gwen. 

They stayed there for many long minutes — maybe even an hour — in silence, embraced, looking into the very dark blue sky, on the side of the empty quiet road. At some point, Blake swore he had seen a shooting star up above. 

“Make a wish.” He said to her, breaking their silence. 

“I just wished I could find myself again.” She did, even though she didn’t see any shooting stars. 

Blake’s heart broke a little. “You will.” He whispered. “What can I do to help?”

“Nothing.” She whispered back, without looking at him. “But you could stay awhile.”

“I can stay forever.” He promised in a heartbeat, without a single doubt in his mind. At that point, he knew he would stay forever, or for as long as she wanted him to.


	6. Lake Ember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope this can take your minds off the most recent events for a few minutes.
> 
> Ok, things are going to start getting serious here. Enjoy the ride!

“Do you need anything else, Mrs. Robinson?” Gwen politely asked a frequent customer of the inn's small restaurant. The elderly woman was there almost every day for lunch because she loved Dorothy's cooking, and the employees felt like she was an essential part of their days with her friendly smile and generous tips. 

“No, my darling, I think I’m going to head back home now.” The woman said, very amiable as always. “Service was exceptional like every time. I will make sure I tip you very good today.” She added. “It’s Sunday.”

“You’re an angel, Katherine.” Gwen smiled at the nice old lady. “Do you want me to put this in a box for you?” She meant the food the woman wasn’t able to eat. The inn had big portions of everything, even for lunch, and Katherine Robinson would always save something for later. “I can call your son if you want, so he can pick you up.”

“Yes, of course.” The customer nodded and smiled at her once again. “No need to call him. I will walk home, the weather is really nice today. Thank you, sweetie.”

Gwen was getting really good at her job now, and the nice people she would see there everyday was the best part of it. The waitress job at the inn’s restaurant was far from the best or most rewarding one she had ever had, but it was not bad at all, and it was paying her bills without many sacrifices. Humberstone wasn’t an expensive town like Sun Valley, it was actually pretty cheap to live there, and Blake was charging almost nothing for renting the room where she slept with Hope, and absolutely nothing for the rest of the house bills, which was a tremendous help. With all these facts, Gwen was aware that soon she would be able to leave Blake and Dorothy’s house and give them the space they deserved to live their lives. She considered herself a discrete, respectful and quiet person, but Hope demanded a lot of attention and help from the owners of the house. She still didn't even know what she would do with the girl after school, without Dorothy’s help, when she finally had a place of their own, but that was a problem to be thought about later, Gwen would have to face one thing at a time.

“Gwen!!!” She was in the middle of her way back to the kitchen to place Katherine’s food in a box for her when that voice yelled her name, making her turn around to look at whoever was calling her. It was Ashley, and she was running down the hallway from the reception to the restaurant. She had a big smile on her face when she was finally close enough to wrap her arms around Gwen for a quick hug. That was kind of uncomfortable for the other one, since the night out at The Scarlet was on the night before and it didn’t seem like it ended very well. “I’m so glad I found you.” Ashley smiled. “I was thinking that we could maybe go out. Let’s make it a girls night, tonight. What do you say?”

“Hm, hi Ash!” Gwen thought that was a little strange. “Sorry, I don’t think I can go out two days in a roll. I have to work tomorrow and I was planning on spending time with Hope tonight. Dot must be going crazy by now.” She said. She did not plan on doing anything that night, other then staying home with her daughter, especially not after their night out. She was still tired. “Plus, I thought you’re going to spend time with Blake, since you have to go back in a couple of days.”

“Well, I’ve been avoiding Blake, to be honest.” The shorter girl confessed. “And he’s been avoiding me too. We kind of had a fight last night and he’s been trying to talk to me since then, but I’m giving him some time so we don’t fight anymore. I don’t feel like talking right now.”

And again, for Gwen that was definitely strange. “Barrett said you told him Blake has been acting weird. I would definitely talk about it with him if I were you. I don’t think that telling Barrett will change anything.” 

“I see you and Barrett got along pretty well.” Ashley quickly changed the subject and was already giggling like nothing had happened. 

But Gwen wasn’t even listening. She just had a glance of the restaurant’s door opening and saw when a tall blonde man walked in. She couldn’t really see anything but the back of his head when he stopped to talk to the hostess, but still something inside of her was screaming that she needed to run. Her whole body started to shake and she felt so cold, but soon the fear was overcoming any other kind of feeling. She didn’t feel anything anymore, she was completely numb, didn’t hear anything else and couldn’t look at nothing but the back of his head. She couldn’t believe her own eyes, but there was no doubt in her mind that the man was George. 

“Gwen? Are you ok?” Suddenly she felt her body hit the wall behind her, and Ashley touching her arm brought her back from her brief trance. Gwen looked at the other woman, still completely disoriented and not knowing what to say. Ashley was looking back at her with concern. “You’re as pale as a ghost.”

“I think I just saw one.” Gwen's weak and trembly voice came out as a breathless sigh. She was feeling dizzy and sick when she turned her back to the restaurant entrance, afraid he was going to see her.

“What?” Ashley looked the other way, to the door that opened to the street and exactly to where the other one seemed to be looking before. “What is it?”

Gwen thought about the possibility of telling her everything. Ashley wasn’t the kind of woman that would turn her back to another woman in need, at least that’s not who she seemed to be. Maybe, if more people knew what happened to her, she would have more help and a bigger chance of surviving all that. She wasn’t thinking about it before, but now that he was there, she needed to think about her survival and her daughter’s protection. She had to. 

“That man.” She told Ashley without turning around. She couldn’t bare to look at him, especially not if he was looking in her direction. She would probably die of fear if she saw his face. 

“What man?” The other one looked so confused that Gwen ended up turning her head to the door again. 

And he wasn’t there. The tall blonde man had disappeared like he had never been there. The hostess was alone in the front and all the other customers were sitting at their designated table. Still Gwen looked around, stunned, looking for him on the face of every present person. The man really wasn’t there. The door was closed and, through the big and clean window’s glass, she couldn’t see anybody who even resembled her husband. There was no sign that a figure like that was ever in that restaurant a few seconds ago.  
Once more, she couldn’t believe her eyes. How could someone just vanish like that? She was sure she had seen him. Maybe she was officially going crazy. It was like he really was a ghost or an illusion probably caused by her troubled mind.

“Nobody.” She released her breath, which she had been holding since she thought she saw her worst nightmare. “Can you hold this for me?” She asked Ashley, handing Katherine’s half eaten dish to the woman without even thinking about the fact that she didn’t work there anymore. “Please, I need to sit down for a minute. Give it to Dylan and tell him to put it in a box for Katherine Robinson.”

“Sure. Are you ok though?” Ashley was looking at her as if she was a sick fragile thing or maybe a crazy person. She didn't mean it, but at that moment she was very confused.

“I’ll be ok.” Gwen said, before turning around to leave the restaurant and follow the back hallway to the break room. 

Her whole body was still shaking and she didn't even know how she was able to walk with wobbly legs like that. She was also breathing irregularly and her head couldn’t figure out if she had really seen George at her workplace or if it was just her imagination. However, she did not have time to think more deeply about that problem. It ended up being momentarily forgotten when she arrived at the break room’s door and overheard the conversation that was going on inside.

“I’m not sure what it is, but I know there’s something off with her. The way she got here is rather strange and the way Blake took her and the kid under his wing without even knowing them is the worst.” She heard Barbara’s voice say. 

“Do you have any idea of what it could be?” The other female voice was somewhat familiar, but Gwen wasn’t sure who that was. 

“If I had to guess, I would say the girl is his daughter. She probably needed money so she came here to threaten him. He’s a good guy so he’s doing the right thing, even though she’s a bitch and doesn’t deserve it.” The inn’s owner seemed very sure of what she was talking about, even though she knew nothing. 

“But why are they pretending the child is not his then?” The unknown participant of the conversation questioned.

“Because Blake’s been with Ashley forever, you know? Since high school, so if the little girl is five…” 

“Oh no, poor Ash.” The other one didn’t even let Barbara finish. “But are you sure he’s the father? I mean, you said he was a good guy.”

“I’m pretty sure.” Barbara answered fast. “He’s too invested. Blake is a good guy, but he’s not stupid and never really cared about kids. He even told Ashley once that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to have children in the first place.” The other woman let out a surprised gasp. “He wouldn’t be spending all this time and energy on that little girl if she wasn’t his. I even heard him talking about a conversation he had with the girl’s teacher about some kind of bullying that was going on.” 

“Oh, this is serious then. No man would do that.” The other voice was shocked. 

“No man would house a strange woman and her daughter in his home, with his mother there. He knows her, I’m telling you, Jasmine.” Barbara said.

Jasmine was one of the inn’s maids, Gwen knew who she was now. She thought about going in the break room and confronting them about that absurd conversation, but she had not yet recovered from the latest events in the restaurant lounge and she was so tired. Tired of running and tired of fighting. All Gwen wanted was simple: some peace and comfort, but all those simple things seemed so complicated at that moment. She wondered if she would ever have anything simple in her life ever again. 

  


***

  


Monday arrived lazily, especially because of the cloudy weather. Gwen slept very little the night before — she kept having nightmares about George showing up in Humberstone and making her leave with him — but was up very early that day, at the same time as Blake and the morning mist. She exchanged her workday with Kelly, simply because she didn't think she could handle looking at Barbara's face without wanting to confront her about the conversation she had heard the day before, in the restaurant's break room. So she stayed home alone that morning, doing house chores and waiting to pick up Hope at school. She was planning to also spend the afternoon at the house with her daughter, checking her school progress and homework. According to her teacher, Hope was doing really good at school, despite her classmates, and that alone was already progress. She was doing better than when they had George terrorizing their lives. But when the two of them got home, Blake was already there, and he invited them to go to the lake and enjoy the weather — It was still kind of cloudy, but it was perfect for a day out, since it wasn’t so hot — with the promise that they would get to know the other side of Lake Ember, the touristic side. 

That side of the lake was closer to downtown Humberstone and to the boardwalk they visited the night they had ice cream after her first day at the restaurant. The lakeshore was very well maintained there, with clean wooden boardwalks, a green fresh cut grass and a clean beige warm sand, where they laid a long towel to sit on.  
That part of the lake wasn’t quiet and remote either. There were some people there, sitting on their chairs and towels too. Mostly family and most were not even from there. According to Blake a lot of people would drive to that touristic part of the lake in the summer and those were probably the last few hot weather days in late September, since it was almost fall. 

Hope was so excited to finally be able to play in the lake’s waters, that the first thing Blake did when they arrived was take the girl for a swim. Gwen stayed on the sand and just watched them. She couldn't help but think about how the conversation she'd heard the day before made a little sense now. It was still crazy that they thought Blake would be lying about something like that and hiding the fact that he was the father of her daughter — If that was the case — but she couldn't deny that he acted like he was, probably without even realizing it and just because he liked Hope.

“What are you looking at?” He joked when he was bringing the little girl back to her mother. 

Gwen didn’t even realized she was staring at him while he carried her daughter in his arms so she wouldn’t be covered in sand while walking back up.  
Blake was wearing knee-length shorts and a light yellow unbuttoned shirt. He was all wet after playing with Hope in the lake for a few minutes, his blue eyes were even brighter in the weak sun and his brown and slightly curly hair was all messy and wet, giving him a wilder look, which was so attractive to her. She lost herself in him for a few seconds, but he probably had no idea how handsome he was. That was one of the best things about Blake: He didn’t even know how amazing he was, and it wasn’t even just physically. 

He put Hope down on the towel and Gwen grabbed a clean one to dry the girl’s body and hair before applying more sunscreen to her very light skin. Hope soon was playing in the sand, building castles and making big holes with her toy shovel and bucket, leaving the grownups alone. 

“You’re so good with her, Blakey.” The girls mother handed him a towel too, which he used to dry his hair, making it even more wild. “Where did it came from?”

“I don’t know. I like spending time with her, she’s so funny and smart. I can teach her anything and she will learn in a second.” He said, being very honest while going over his strong arms and chest with his towel. “I don’t know, I like the idea of raising someone with love so they learn to be good. Also I just want to protect that little version of you with all I have.”

Gwen was still watching him. That kind of attitude he had was also very attractive to her, even though it was in a very different way that his wet tall and strong body was. She couldn’t be more drawn to him than she was in that moment. Physically, because he was more handsome than ever, with his blue bright and kind eyes and his wet wild hair and body, and emotionally because of the way he was a good man that loved her daughter and had the urge to protect her at all costs. She had enormous feelings for Blake and that was a very dangerous thing to admit, even just to herself. 

“Was that the reason why you went to talk to Hope’s teacher about the bullying situation?” She asked, making Blake stop what he was doing to look at her. 

“How do you even know about that?” He lightly laughed. Deep down he was afraid she would be mad about it. “I did it because I know Alicia. She’s a very good person and I just wanted to ask her to take care of Hope. I wasn’t trying to cause any problems.”

“I know you weren’t.” Gwen really knew that, and she couldn’t help but think that it was a very sweet thing for someone to do. She loved Blake for that, but it did cause problems. “I heard Barbara saying she thinks Hope is your daughter and we’re hiding it.”

Blake straight up laughed. He just couldn’t hold it. “Are you kidding? She said that? Oh God, of course she did.”

“She did. She thinks you cheated on Ashley with me years ago and that’s the reason why I came to Humberstone now. According to her, I was threatening you and you decided to do the right thing and house us, feed us and take care of Hope.” Gwen leaned her body back and laid on the towel they shared, leaning on her elbows to continue managing to keep an eye on her daughter who was playing in the sand. Blake was still laughing, but he followed her with his eyes. She was wearing a short red summer dress, printed with white daisies. The low cut neckline was showing the area between her breasts, and the dress’ strap was always slipping off her shoulder, he noticed. Her hair was down, with natural wavy ends dancing behind her back as she was speaking. She was shoeless and her toes were buried in the sand, like she needed that to keep warm, but she would constantly move them deeper or back to the surface, making her dress go up and down on her thighs. He silently enjoyed her beauty as much as he would always do, even though he knew he shouldn't be doing it, at least not until he could talk to Ashley. “I wish it was true.” Her quiet voice brought him back from his thoughts. “I wish that was the reason why I came to Humberstone, just to threaten you to do the right thing.” They both laughed together, but then she got really serious. “And I wish you were Hope’s father.”

Blake quickly looked up to meet her eyes. He didn't know exactly what that sentence meant, but it had caused him a strong feeling of affection for her. “I will protect you both.” He promised. “I don’t care if I’m not her father.”

“No. I don’t mean to drag you to it.” Gwen quickly refused his promise. “It could be very dangerous.”

“I don’t care.” Blake threw his hands in the air. “It’s too late.” And he also laid back and leaned on his elbows. “Tell me more about it.”

She hesitated, but he himself had made it clear that it was too late. She ended up thinking the same way she had thought the day before: It was better to have people by her side if she had to fight for survival. So Gwen bit her lower lip before starting to talk. “I lived in a city called Sun Valley in California, in a big yellow house on Rainbow Street. I was married to the first guy I really thought I loved and my daughter was the best thing that happened to me.” She said, having to slowly breathe so she wouldn’t freak out about saying it all out loud. “Anyone who heard that would think that my life was like a tropical paradise, full of sunlight by the ocean, right? Wrong. My life was a nightmare. I didn't even control it myself. I was overwhelmed by the fear of what could happen when he would come home after work. And yes, he drank too much, but sometimes he didn't even need to drink anything to do the monstrosities he did to me. It didn’t matter. It could be because he had a bad day at work, or maybe because he had car problems, or because I was wearing high heels, or my perfume was somewhat different, or maybe because he thought the nice neighbor was flirting with me. Sometimes he just wanted to hurt me.”

Blake listened in silent, paying full attention to the story. He was always very careful when she was talking about her life before Humberstone. He knew it was a secret that she only shared with him there and it made him understand her deeply in many ways. She was damaged and probably would always be, but she was one hell of a fighter and he had never met someone like her. “I can’t even believe guys like him really exist. But you’re finally free from him. He will never find you here.” And if he did, Blake would make sure to give him what he deserved, but he didn’t have to tell her that. Every single time she talked about the things he did to her, Blake would fantasize about hurting that man so he would feel what it was like to have someone doing to him what he did to her. But no good would come from that, he just wish that man would pay somehow. “Are you going to report him to the police? Maybe they can make him legally stay away from you.”

“I don’t know.” Gwen had thought about it, but that was another thing she was really afraid of. “He’s a very manipulative and powerful white man. I’m afraid that if I go to the police, I won’t be able to prove anything and he will find out where I’m.” She explained. “Plus, I know what he will do. He will try to take her from me.” She looked at Hope, who was peacefully playing next to the water line, covered in sand. “He knows that’s the worst way he can possibly hurt me.”

“Don’t you have any marks on you body that could tell the truth?” Blake asked, not wanting to tell her that he already knew the answer to that. 

“Yes, I have a couple of bruises on my back and he broke one of my ribs once, but how can I prove it was him?” Gwen sighed. She would rather just live her quiet life there, if it was possible. 

“There must be a way to—”

“Hey, guys!” The high-pitched loud voice interrupted his sentence, and they both looked up to find Ashley standing right next to Hope in the sand. Blake felt a chill go up his spine. He quickly started to analyze each of his latest moves, to make sure he wasn't doing anything wrong that might disrespect Ashley or make her sad. It wasn’t what he wanted. “What are you doing here, Blake? I thought you said you would work late today.”

Gwen kept quiet, but that was a very strange thing to hear. Blake wasn’t supposed to work late that day, not that she knew, he even was home earlier, before they came back from Hope’s school. It wasn’t hard to notice that he had lied to his fiancée. Maybe to avoid her after the strange night at The Scarlet, or maybe because he wanted to spend the afternoon with her and Hope. The second option was worrying, because it would imply that Blake was lying to Ashley because of her.

“Work wasn’t that bad today, I end up not having to stay late.” He told her. In the back of his mind he was thinking that he really should talk to her as soon as possible, because at the pace they’re going, he would probably end up hurting Ashley pretty soon.

“And you didn’t think to call me for this afternoon at the lake thing? You knew I would be in town until tonight.” His fiancee crossed her arms. She was keeping her tone low and civilized, but her voice sounded irritable nonetheless. 

Blake felt really bad, he didn’t expect to see her there, but it was all his fault. He didn’t want to upset her, but he was doing it anyway. He should have talked to her weeks ago, even if that meant he had to go visit her in her college town. It was obvious that he was doing it the wrong way when trying to actually make it right. “Maybe we should go talk in the car, alone.” He told her. 

“No I won’t go anywhere with you right now.” She sounded more and more upset as he was trying to fix it. “I don’t want to talk to you right now. I’ll be leaving tonight and we can talk when I come back. You will have to wait.” 

Again, that sounded strange to Gwen. If she was in Ashley's place, she would’ve wanted to clear everything up as quickly as possible, but the other woman seemed to avoid the conversation that Blake had been saying they should have as much as possible. Maybe Ashley already knew what he was going to say and what it meant, therefore wanted to postpone everything, but wouldn't it just be more painful for her? Gwen didn’t really know what would become of those two, but it did not seem like their situation was going very well. She just didn't know whether she was to blame too or not.

Ashley left in a not very friendly way, leaving Blake talking to himself there. Gwen thought that maybe he should follow her and start the conversation anyway, but he didn't. He stayed and they both stared at the quiet lake in front of them for a few seconds. 

Until Blake broke the silence. “I’m sorry about that.” He said.

“Did you know she’s been telling people you’re acting weird?” Gwen asked him. She was his friend and thought he should know. “She told Barrett and I heard Barbara saying the same thing.” 

“I’ve been acting weird.” He confessed. “I can’t blame her.”

“Why?” She asked him, but the truth was she was afraid of what he might say.

“I don’t really know if that’s what I want anymore.” Blake was honest. He owed her that. “You know? To marry her, move to wherever she wants to go and pretend I could be happy doing that. I’ve been thinking about it for years now.” Gwen let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't because of her. “And then there’s you and Hope here. The way you just changed your whole life to escape the hell you’re dealing with inspires me to change mine. Not that I can compare my problem with yours, but you inspire me anyway.”

“You have to talk to her, Blakey.” She felt for him, she really did, but she also thought the whole situation wasn’t fair to anyone. “You have to set her free so you can be free. You won’t be able to until you do it.”

“I’ve been trying to, but she won’t let me.” Blake sighed. 

“She probably already knows. We always know.” Gwen shot him a look of understanding and affection.

And there was much more to be said on that subject. Both had already admitted to themselves the feeling they had for the other, but it was not yet the right time to admit it out loud. It was still very complicated and uncertain, but they both also suspected whatever the other was feeling. It was difficult to deny or hide it, although Gwen was doing it better than Blake most of the time.  
Now he would have to wait another couple of weeks to talk to Ashley and put an end to their relationship that no longer had any passion or desire in it. He still liked the girl and had great affection for her, but not in the same way it was before and definitely not enough to marry her. So he would wait, but he would get it done as soon as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you leave a comment for me?


	7. Halloween Square

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> All I have to say is that I hope your hearts are in great conditions. You will need it. 
> 
> And I hope you enjoy!

_Ok. I will meet you tonight at the square, after the parade._

Blake stared at his phone with a mixture of excitement and fear. He had been trying, for more than a month now, to get Ashley to take some time so they could finally have the serious conversation they needed to have, but apparently his fiancée had become too busy out of nowhere. Blake offered to take any days off of her choice, tried to invite her for dinner and even said that he would drive to her college town to have that conversation, but she had excuses ready for each one of those options. Ashley used to complain he didn’t have time for her and suddenly she was avoiding him at all costs. When it became very obvious, he confronted her by phone and she even stopped answering his calls, then they started to communicate only by text, because she knew he wasn’t going to end their engagement that way. Texts like the one he sent that afternoon, saying it was no longer possible to postpone that conversation, and Ashley finally answered with the place and time they would meet.

Blake couldn't wait to get things straightened out and get them both out of that broken relationship. He honestly thought that it was past the point where they could ignore that problem, and he was no longer able to think that their relationship was something good for either of them. He was, in fact, quite uncomfortable because he was still stuck in it, and especially, for holding Ashley, knowing that he wasn’t in love with her anymore. But he had been trying to fix it. All he wanted was to fix it so both of them would be free, but it wasn’t only up to him. _You have to set her free so you can be free_ — Gwen told him when they were spending the afternoon at the lake, a few weeks ago. She had no idea how much he wanted to be free. Or maybe she did. 

“Blakey!” The child's high-pitched voice brought him back from his unpleasant thoughts. Blake smiled immediately when he heard the fast footsteps running up to the room. When Hope walked in, she was wearing a full ballerina costume, all light pink, with a sparkly tutu skirt and wool tights under it so she wouldn’t be cold at night. The girl's hair was tied in a bun and pulled back by a shiny gel, leaving traces of pink glitter on her golden hair. “Look at me.” She said, and then she did a complete turn with her small body, balancing on one leg.

He laughed. “Wow, is that your halloween costume? What are you? Wait, don’t tell me, let me guess.”

“Ok.” Hope giggled and approached him, sitting by Blake’s side on the bed. She was excited about the Halloween night they were about to have. “Can you put my crown on my head?”

The crown was actually just a plastic thing that was smaller than Blake’s palm. It was silver and it had little fake pink stones. “What do I do with this?” He just awkwardly held the small crown between his fingers.

“It’s like a comb, see?” The girl took it to show him. “You have to place it between my head and the bun.” She pointed so he would know where.

But he was really afraid of ruining her hair or even hurting her. He was not used to those kind of things, but he did it anyway, very slowly and carefully. His big hands were definitely not made for that, but he got the job done. “What do you think?”

Hope turned around to look in the mirror. “It’s perfect.” She leaned so her small arms were able to wrap half of his body in a hug. Blake’s heart almost melted away as he hugged her back. “Ok, now you have to guess. What am I for Halloween?”

“Hmm…” He put on a serious face, like he needed to think hard. “You smell good. Are you Strawberry Shortcake?” He joked.

“A cake?” The girl got a little confused and frowned when she looked at him. 

“No, the cartoon.” Blake was laughing even harder. “Never mind, maybe that’s something kids don’t watch anymore.” Then he pretended to deeply think again. “Ok, I know now. You’re Elsa.”

The girl laughed out loud. “No!” She could barely talk. “Elsa is a queen. She wears a blue dress made of ice.” 

“A dress made of ice? Now that’s silly.” They laughed together until Blake stood up and grabbed her hand. “Are you ready, ballerina? We still need to go get your mom.”

“Ballerina? You knew it this whole time, didn’t you?” Hope stood up too and wrinkled her nose when she looked at him.

Blake laughed. “I know everything, remember? I’m King Blake.” And he posed with his hands on his waist and his chin up. 

Hope laughed like he was the funniest person and then held his hand back again. “Did you know that it’s my first time trick or treating?”

“What? Really?” He looked at her while they left the room and crossed the hallway heading down the stairs to the first floor. 

“Daddy wouldn’t let me.” The little girl told him. “He said I was too young, but I’m five years old now, so I can, right?”

“Right.” Blake agreed just so she wouldn’t ask anything else, but he knew her father was controlling her life since she was born and the reason why she could enjoy it more now was because her mother had been strong enough to escape with her. “Do you miss him?” He couldn’t hold the question in, but he regretted it the next second. 

“Sometimes.” Hope said, jumping the last step like she was talking about anything but a heavy subject. “He was nice sometimes. We had a garden like yours on the backyard, next to the pool, but daddy only had flowers there. Mommy used to say he loved his flowers more than her, but I don’t think he loved her at all.” She was so comfortable with Blake that she had no filters and was talking like those were ordinary things, which she probably thought they were. Blake took her to the car because he didn’t want his mother to hear anything the little girl was saying. “And some other times he would lock me in the closet and make mommy cry. You don’t make people cry if you love them, do you?”

He felt like his heart was breaking in a million pieces and those pieces were smashed into a million others. It was obvious that the man’s violence didn’t have consequences only for Gwen, it also affected Hope deeply too. First because of the way she had expressed her frustration at school, and also because the memories of the violence would clearly forever be in her mind, just like in her mother's.

“No, you don’t make people you love cry.” Blake agreed while strapping her in her car seat. “But don’t worry, now we will only make your mom smile, ok? No more crying.”

“Ok, deal.” She offered her small palm and he high-fived her.

“Now wait there. I will grab your backpack and a couple of other things and we will leave. Do you need anything else? Did you use the bathroom?” He was still very new to the ‘taking care of a child’ thing, but he had recently discovered that he liked it. “I will be right back and we will get mom and start our trick or treating adventure. I’m sure you’ll love it and then we can do it again every year.”

“I did!” Hope laughed about the bathroom part. “Ok, Blakey.” She sounded excited and Blake smiled at her before closing the car’s door.

  


***

  


“Thank you for coming.” Gwen thanked Blake again as they both watched Hope run to another door with a group of children her age. “I know you’re not supposed to be here with me and I know this will only make things worse for you now, but I appreciate that you’re here anyway.”

“What do you mean?” He looked away from the little girl to look at her. “Of course I would be here, I wanted to.” 

“I mean your situation with Ashley and the fact that the whole town is looking at us right now and confirming in their heads the fake story Barbara spread.” They both looked around. Other parents near them were staring and tried to pretend they weren’t, with fake smiles. Gwen had seen those the whole night. 

“This is only Ashley’s problem because she doesn’t want to talk to me. This story was supposed to be over already. I don’t really care about these people staring at us and I also couldn’t care less about Barbara’s fake stories.” Blake shrugged. “But I can’t stay the whole night, though. Ashley finally agreed to meet tonight at the square.”

Gwen was waiving to Hope — who was running happily back to them — but she stopped when she heard him. “She did?” She turned to look at him.

“Yes, she did.” Blake smiled, trying to show her he was still convinced that it was the right decision. “Tonight, after the Halloween parade at the square.”

“How are you feeling?” Gwen asked, still unsure. Hope had just hugged her legs, so she grabbed the girl’s hand, but her attention was still on Blake. 

“Like I’m almost free.” And they smiled at each other. Deep down, they both knew there was another meaning to the word free in that phrase. And they were both excited to be ‘free’ that night, although it was a silent understanding. 

“Hey, come put your sweater on, funny girl.” She looked away from Blake when Hope left then to run to another house with her group of new friends. 

“Ballerinas don’t wear sweaters, mommy. I told you.” Her daughter complained. 

“They do when it’s very cold like this.” Her mom didn’t give up. “Come on, or we are going back home.” She yelled to her daughter and then looked at Blake by her side. “When did she become a teenager? It’s too early.”

He laughed softly. “Don’t do that, she’s so excited.”

“Ugh, you’re a sucker for her. It’s all your fault.” She rolled her eyes. “It works, see? She’s coming.” He laughed even louder when he saw the girl really running back. “I won’t ruin her fun. It’s her first time trick or treating, did you know?”

Blake thought about what to say for a second, but decided to tell the truth. “Yes, I know. She told me.”

“She did?” Gwen was very surprised. Her daughter wasn’t one to tell anything to anyone. She kept what was happening inside of her own home a secret for a long time. She had to really trust Blake. 

He nodded. “She likes me.” Then he looked at Hope, who had just gotten there. “Don’t you, Hope?”

“I like you, Blakey.” Hope smiled. 

Her mom smiled too. “I know you do, bunny. Now come on, it’s getting dark and it’s getting cold. I don’t want you to get sick.” 

But the night was only beginning. The pink and purple sky soon gave way to the very dark blue that came after sunset. The temperature dropped a few degrees and sweaters were soon changed to warmer coats. The kids trick or treated until it was dark and then everybody got together at the square to watch the Halloween parade that happened every year in Humberstone. It was after 8 o’clock and Hope was already tired, so she was sitting on Blake’s shoulders and her chin was resting on the top of his head.

“Where’s the parade?” Her tired voice asked. 

“I don’t know, baby, we have to wait, ok?” Gwen looked up to find her daughter rubbing her eyes already.

“What are you guys going to do after this? Do you want to wait for me?” Blake asked. He was carrying the little girl like she weighed nothing. 

“No, we will go home. My car is at the restaurant, it’s just a couple of blocks from here.” She answered. “You have to take all the time you need, you can’t do this in a hurry.”

“I can take you guys back to your car before I go find Ashley.” He was still trying to find a way to make sure they were safe. 

“Hey, it’s fine. We will be fine.” Gwen laughed at him. “It’s Humberstone after all. Nothing bad ever happens here.” And as she said that, her eyes scanned the crowd. 

Halloween was a night when anyone could be anything they wanted. Almost all of the townspeople were dressed in something other than their everyday clothes and that was the fun thing about that night. But that also made Halloween one of the most dangerous nights of the year. With the streets full of people in costumes and masks, crimes tended to increase a lot. But the little celebration in downtown Humberstone was mostly composed of parents and their children and it seemed safer than any night she spent in Sun Valley. That was true until she laid eyes on that sinister vampire on the other side of the street. He was wearing black clothes, a red cape and a mask with a frightening too big of a smile. He was too tall to be a teenager, and had no children around him, which made him different from any other person there. But the eyes behind the mask were what really scared her. Gwen was sure she could see the green eyes through the holes and she remembered staring into those evil eyes many times in her life. Her worst times. 

“Hey, my foot!” Blake’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts and only then she realized she was stepping on his foot and had her body pressing against the side of his body, like she needed it for protection.

“I’m sorry.” Gwen whispered. Her eyes going quickly back to the vampire. He was still there, standing in the crowd, and she was sure he was staring right at her. 

“Are you ok?” Blake asked. His free hand touching her shoulder. 

“Yes.” She looked at him and smiled so he wouldn’t worry anymore. 

It worked, he caressed her shoulder and looked away. The parade was starting, so his and Hope’s attention were on the costumes and the people parading. And Gwen was the only one looking at the scary vampire, but she was sure it wasn’t just in her head this time. It was real, he was there. And the vampire stared back, patiently waiting as if he had a malefic plan. Gwen tried to distract herself, but the truth was that she paid no attention to anything but him. Her eyes darted across the street to the scary figure as the crowd paraded in the middle. The loud music was making her lose any other senses, she could only hear the sinister halloween music and see the man standing on the other side. And so it went until the parade ended and she only realized it when people applauded with excitement. It seemed as if time had stopped, but when Gwen looked at her phone, she realized that it was after 9 o’clock and the parade went on for almost an hour. An hour that she spent looking into those scary green eyes.

“It was one of the best I’ve seen.” Blake’s voice made her look away for the first time since she had seen the vampire. “Did you like it?”

“Hm yes.” Gwen wasn’t even sure of what exactly he was asking. Her eyes went back into the crowd, looking for the vampire who haven’t move until that second, but as soon as she laid her eyes on him again, he took a step forward. “I want to go home now.” She quickly turned to Blake.

“Hey, are you ok?” He knew right away that something was wrong. 

She thought about it for a second, but she didn’t want to drag him to it. It wasn’t his problem and he had other problems to worry about. If she would have to deal with George that night, then she would do it alone and she would be the only one hurt in the end. “I just need to go home.” Gwen motioned for him to put Hope down and then looked back again, but this time she couldn’t find the masked figure anymore. 

“What’s going on?” Blake noticed when she started to look around. She wasn’t doing it as discreetly as she imagined. 

“Can you stop asking questions?” She replied rudely, which made her regret it the next second. Gwen reached out to touch Blake's arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.” 

“It’s ok, I think you’re tired.” He said, also reaching out and touching her face softly. But all she could think about was that it would make it worse and that he shouldn’t touch her. “I think both of you are very tired.” Then he put Hope down. The girl staggered close to her mother and leaned on her. 

Gwen picked her up. “Let me know how it goes.” She said to Blake, about his conversation with Ashley. 

“I will.” He nodded and got closer to kiss her forehead and the top of Hope’s head. “I’ll see you at home, ok?”

“See you at home.” She said back and they went different ways. 

Gwen made a quick mental calculation: She had two blocks to cross, from the square to the inn’s parking lot where her car was parked. Normally it would take her about 5 minutes to get there, but with Hope in her arms it would certainly take a little more. She started walking, even though she was frequently looking back. The crowd was starting to spread out and it was better to cross that path while others were doing the same thing. The square was crowded, but the adjacent streets around Main Street were quiet as usual. Some people walked further ahead, following in the same direction as her. Gwen took a deep breath and kept going forward.  
She looked back and all she saw was a group of parents and children who were moving in the same direction. The kids were excited, talking loudly about something that happened on the parade. She sighed with relief. Hope was resting her chin on Gwen's shoulder, breathing slowly. Her mother was certain that the girl was about to fall asleep. All seemed right.

She looked back once more when she reached the end of the first block. The family behind her turned left on the other street, and Gwen's heart nearly stopped when she saw the scary vampire figure becoming visible as the others left the path clear for him. She turned around quickly, starting to walk faster. Her heart was beating so loud and fast that she could no longer hear her own steps on the quiet street. The group of people further ahead was too far away, the group at the back had taken another turn and was no longer visible to her, and now there was no one else between her and her worst nightmare. She started to despair and her breathing became heavy and irregular quickly. Suddenly Hope's weight seemed twice as heavy and Gwen felt like she was sinking. Still walking fast, she turned to look back again and he was there, calmly following them from a safe distance, as if he was in no hurry, but still seeming to get closer by the second. She walked faster, almost running, and began to condemn every decision she had made since she had seen that man and knew immediately who he was. She shouldn't have let Blake go, even if she didn't want to involve him in that situation, she should’ve said yes when he offered to take them to the car, not for her, but for Hope.  
Further ahead — as the last quarter ended and she entered the inn’s parking lot — Gwen spotted Barbara standing at the back door, taking her break to smoke a cigarette outdoors. 

“Barbara!” She screamed, drawing strength from who knows where. It was her last chance. “Help me!”

The inn’s owner seemed somewhat uncertain at first, thinking it could be a silly Halloween prank or a joke, but Gwen’s despair didn't seem to be staged at all, so Barbara ran to meet her in the middle of the parking lot. "What's happening?"

“I’m being followed.” She explained, breathless. “Somebody is following me.” She still wasn’t feeling completely safe, but at least she was closer to her car now and she wasn’t alone. Hope was wide awake now. Her big dark brown eyes were wide.

“Who is following you? There’s literally no one down the street.” The woman soon was back to sounding irritated. “Are you joking? I don’t think it’s funny.” 

“No!” Gwen put Hope down and hold her hand so she could turn around and look again. Of course he wasn’t there anymore. “He’s not there.” She said. More to herself than to Barbara. “He’s not there anymore.” She said it again and sighed with relief. 

“Who are you even talking about, girl? Sometimes I think you’re crazy.” The inn’s owner complained. 

Gwen thought about it for a second, but she didn’t believe it could be just in her mind anymore. It was real. He was real and he was following her. “It doesn’t matter.” She looked back one more time, just to be sure. The street was empty and quiet. 

“Of course it matters. You scared me.” Barbara was still irritated. “I don’t even know what you’re doing out today. You should be working. I did not allow the shift trade between you and Kelly.” 

“I’m definitely not talking about this right now.” She finally snapped at Barbara, even though it was far from what she really wanted to say to that woman. “I’m going home.”

“Fine.” Barbara didn’t insist on it. “We will talk tomorrow, be at work earlier.”

“Fine.” She agreed and moved her hand to squeeze her daughter’s, but there was nothing to squeeze there. “Where’s Hope?” Gwen quickly looked around but there was no sign of the little girl. 

“What? She was just here.” The older woman didn’t see anything, and the girl’s mother was so mad at her boss and so worried about the man following her that she didn’t even notice the girl letting go of her hand. “Are you joking again?”

“Hope!!!” Gwen didn’t even bother with Barbara, she had no time for that. She started yelling her daughter’s name as loud as she could. In a couple of seconds Barbara noticed that it was probably a serious matter and started to help her. They were calling the girl and checking behind cars in the parking lot. 

Once again, Gwen was unable to breathe properly, it was as if fear was a solid thing, very heavy, and it was compressing her lungs so hard that she was slowly suffocating from it. The cold night suddenly got even colder and the dark sky was also darker.  
She couldn’t lose her daughter. He could do whatever he wanted to her, but he couldn’t touch Hope, that was the whole reason why she ran away. It wasn’t fair that she went all the way there to end up in the same situation she was in before, and it definitely wasn’t fair to her daughter. 

“Boo!” The little girl jumped from behind one of the parked cars and scared the life out of her. Gwen ended up screaming and it also scared Hope a bit, but soon the child was laughing again. “I got you!”

“What are you doing? Do you think this is funny? This is not funny!” She just couldn’t hold it, her eyes flooded with tears and they started to escape, wetting her whole face even before Gwen kneeled on the floor to hug the girl and held her tightly against her body. “Please, never do that again. I thought I had lost you.” 

“No, mommy don’t cry.” Hope was confused, she didn’t think her silly scare would do that to her mother. She had no idea she had chosen the worst time for a joke. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. Here, this is for you.” The girl opened her hand and showed her what she was holding. Sitting on the palm of her little hand was a big white daisy with a vivid yellow center. So beautiful that it looked fake. Gwen only remembered seeing one like that in one single place her whole life. 

She slapped the flower off her daughter’s hand. “Who gave you that?” She asked. The girl got scared and started to cry, but her mother insisted. “Tell me now, Hope.”

“It was the nice guy with a mask.” Hope cried. 

“Hey, what’s happening here?” Blake was coming back to the parking lot and came running when he saw something wasn’t right. “I couldn’t find Ashley, she never showed up, so I came back. Hey, are you both crying? What’s wrong?” The closer he got the more concerned he felt. The scene looked more and more worrisome. 

“I think your girlfriend is completely crazy, that’s what I think.” Barbara said.

“You can go in, Barbara, we don’t need you.” He dismissed her. 

Gwen grabbed Hope and the flower before turning to Blake. “Thank God you’re here.” She sighed and cried even more before he was close enough to wrap his arms around her and hug both of them until they both stopped crying. 

And they were safe. 

Of course Barbara didn’t go in, she stayed and watched until they got in Blake’s truck and drove away, so Gwen didn’t say a word about anything that happened that night.

  


***

  


In the middle of the way to the little swamp lane, Hope fell asleep and Gwen started to tell Blake everything that happened in details. She decided that after the terror she lived that night, she was never going to keep anything from him anymore, as long as he wanted to know and asked for it. Blake knew exactly what he was getting into, she made sure he knew everything before anything really bad started to happen, but after that night, if he was in, them he had to be completely in. 

“I’m completely in.” He assured her, as soon as she asked. There was nothing to think about.

“Then you need to know that George is dangerous.” Gwen told him. Her fingers were slowly caressing Hope’s hair while the girl was completely out in her lap. She refused to sit on the carseat and after the difficult night they had, it was not the worst thing in the world that they would get to hold each other all the way back home. “He’s not afraid of anything. He thinks he owns me and he’ll do anything to get me back, I’m sure.”

“He won’t get you back.” Blake was clear on that. “I won’t let him.” 

“If he gets me…” She started slowly, but her voice broke anyway, so she cleared her throat. “If he gets me, I’m dead. Forget about me and, please, don’t let him get to Hope.” She looked at him and Blake was looking back at her as if she had said the most offensive thing in the world. “I’m begging you. I can’t count on anyone but you. If he gets me, let him have me, but protect her. Promise?”

“What?” He couldn’t believe she was asking him that. “No.”

“Please, Blake?” They looked into each other’s eyes for a split second. “If you like me, that’s the only thing I ask of you. Promise?”

Gwen's teary eyes pleaded to him. Blake tried to ignore it, but it was impossible. “I promise. I will protect her.” There was a moment of silence in which Blake was mulling over what she had said about what would happen to her if George managed to get his hands on her and Gwen was relieved that she had someone to protect her daughter if something happened to her. Someone she trusted completely and that would give Hope a good life. “Tell me about the flower again.” Blake asked, ending the silence.

“George is obsessed with flowers. He told me a lot about them. I think he’s communicating with me.” Gwen said. “This one is a daisy. Daisies symbolize innocence and purity. They can also mean new beginnings.”

“What do you think he means by that?” He asked, still dividing his attention between her and the road.

“It’s a game. I’m sure.” She was staring at the perfectly white flower that was lying on the car’s dashboard. “Old stories say that whenever a child dies, God sprinkles daisies over the earth to cheer the parents up. I think he means Hope. Maybe he always planned on getting to her first or maybe he is hinting on his next steps.”

“Hey, nothing will happen to her, he is just trying to scare you.” Blake felt very distressed to be driving, he wanted to be able to touch her and calm her down. “We will keep an extra eye on her, just to be sure, ok?”

Gwen nodded and stayed silent for a while. She was still staring at the flower and fearing whatever was to come. “He is here, Blake.” The sentence escaped her lips like a hushed whisper. A sharp pain cut through her chest as Gwen let the understanding of that phrase sink in. Humberstone wasn't safe anymore. The game was on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is everyone ok? Hahaha


	8. On the road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the scares on the last chapter. Hahaha  
> I decided do reward you for surviving. 
> 
> Enjoy.

November started shyly cold and gradually became a month of very low temperatures. By the second week, the orange and red colored leaves fell from the trees, turning the landscape into something colorless and lifeless, as if winter had come early. And there was no foreboding more evident than an early winter. However, November proved to be just as calm and ordinary as any other month, even though, after the latest events, Gwen had thought it would be a terrifying month. There was no other sign of George, not even an ordinary flower left in any specific place, that had the intention of communication. No scares, no attempts from him to get to her or Hope. Nothing at all out of the ordinary. The worst thing was that the silence was suffocating too. Gwen knew he was close, but he wouldn’t make any contact and she was afraid to live her normal everyday life because she knew he was going to sneak up on her if she got too distracted. But she had to go on living anyway. 

Blake did too, although he was still trying to get Ashley to talk to him. On Halloween she claimed he misunderstood the location of their meeting and supposedly that was the reason why they couldn’t find each other. But she was being a little more open for conversation in the past week, and on Wednesday she agreed to see him if he was able to drive to her college after her late night class. He agreed, of course. He really wanted to have that conversation and would drive to whatever place she wanted, whenever she liked.  
Her late class would end around 10, so he planned to leave Humberstone around 9pm, to give her time to herself before he arrived. Since it was all planned last minute, Blake decided to stop by the inn to tell Gwen he was on his way to Ashley.

It was already 9 o’clock when he parked his truck in the parking lot behind the restaurant. A Wednesday night wasn’t the busiest day of the week — especially in a town like Humberstone, where people liked to wake up early and tended to be in bed early too — so the parking lot had just a few cars besides the staff’s vehicles. Blake turned off the truck and was about to get out and go in the restaurant when the back door opened and he saw Gwen come out. He quickly noticed that she wasn’t alone, Barrett came out right after her. Blake wasn’t even aware that they talked at all after the night at The Scarlet, so he thought that his presence there was weird and decide to keep an eye on him.  
Gwen had her waitress uniform on and was visibly uncomfortable because of the cold. Her arms were crossed over the front of her body, as if she could protect herself from the freezing breeze. They were just talking, leaning against the wall while he was smoking a cigarette. At first, Blake thought Gwen wasn’t very into the conversation, but after a couple minutes she was laughing and they were touching each other’s arms like they were old friends or worse. That was when he decided to approach them.  
He got out of his truck and slammed the door so they would notice he was there. When he looked their way, they were both looking at him.

“Hey Blakey.” Gwen smiled. She didn’t seem to notice any bad vibes coming from him. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to talk to you.” He said. “What about you, Barrett? What are you doing here?” Blake got close enough to stand right next to Gwen and stare at the other guy. He placed his coat over her shoulders so she wouldn’t be so cold anymore. It was so big and comfortable that she felt warmer right away, and smiled gratefully at him. 

“I came to visit a friend.” Barrett said, and smiled at Gwen. “But I’m on my way.” He explained, and then turned to her. “At least think about it, ok? Just text me or call me and I’ll come to pick you up.”

“Ok.” She agreed and laughed. “Sounds like a plan.”

“See you later then.” Barrett waived at her and at Blake right after. “Nice to see you, Blake.”

Blake couldn’t say the same, so he didn’t say anything. He just followed Barrett with his eyes until the guy got in his car and left. 

“What is it, Blakey?” Gwen asked when he didn’t say anything. “Did something happen? It wasn’t Hope, was it?” 

“No!” He immediately said. “Hope is great, she was ready for bed when I left.” He decided to momentarily leave Barrett out of his mind. “I came to tell you that I’m on my way to meet Ashley.” 

She was fixing her apron on her waist when she heard him, and lifted her head immediately to give him her full attention. “Are you?”

“Yes, she agreed to talk, but I will have to meet her there.” He explained.

“How far? Will you have to spend the night?” She asked.

“A couple of hours. I will come back as soon as I finish it.” They were not saying it out loud, but it was implied in their sentences and questions that they really wanted to see each other as soon as he got back. “I will see you at home.”

“Ok.” Gwen agreed and they stared into each other’s eyes for a second. It was becoming something very common between them. 

“What did Barrett want?” Blake couldn’t just leave without knowing, even though he did not want to ask. 

She laughed. “He came to say hello.” But it wasn’t all, so she decided to tell him everything. “And he wanted me to go out and have some drinks with him after work.”

“Hm. And?” He stared even deeper into her eyes, as if he could fish the honest answer out.

“I said I would think about it.” Gwen did give him her honest answer anyway. “You heard it.” But she seemed to have too much fun with it. 

“You did?” Blake quickly realized she was teasing him and couldn't even disguise it, so he decided to do the same, in a way. He got really close to her and placed one of his hands on her waist. His move caught Gwen off guard and she was unclear of what it meant, until his hand slid up and down the side of her body and he leaned even forward to whisper into her ear. “Or you could wait for me at home.” 

She felt her throat dry right away and suddenly couldn’t even talk. A tingling sensation took over her whole body, from her head down. Gwen could feel the warmth of his body close to hers, his breath touching her neck and his hand slowly exploring every inch of the right side of her body. Her breathing got heavy and she noticed when the same happened to him, just because they were so close. “Or I could wait for you.” She whispered back, closing her eyes to let the chills take over her whole body once again. Just the thrill of saying that out loud was pleasant enough. 

Blake’s lips softly touched the skin on her neck before he backed up and went back to his straight position, taking some steps back and removing his hands from her body. Gwen watched him, holding her breath and a long sigh.

“I’ll see you later.” He said and smiled at her.

She finally let out the long, not so patient, sigh. “Talk to Ashley, Blake. Talk to Ashley.” 

  


***

  


The drive to Ada was an easy one that Blake had done many times before. It was getting late, so the road was quiet and almost clear. The sky above was also clear and full of very visible stars. He couldn’t help but think it was a great night to finally solve a problem and be free to live something he had been wanting to live for a while. 

The country radio station was playing “H.O.L.Y.” by Florida Georgia Line, a song that was telling the story of a guy who was so broken siting in the darkness and embracing it, until someone got in his life and changed everything, saving him. It was very cliché and he knew it, but that was exactly how he was feeling. Blake found himself laughing about the fact that he was really seeing his life through the lyrics of a song again. It even made him want to write or just to get his guitar out of the shed so he could play something.  
It was funny for him to think about Gwen being the person who came in and saved him, because she was the one who needed saving when she got to Humberstone, or at least that would probably be the way she would see it. But he was a broken man in the darkness before, and the darkness was about to leave so the sun could shine again for him.  
As soon as he thought that, he grimaced. Blake hated to think of Ashley as the darkness that existed in his life, because it was very unfair. She wasn’t anything but light and they’ve had many great years. It was his fault that it had gone too far and turned into something not so good for both of them. He started to get really nervous as he was thinking and the song was playing. What if he broke her heart? What if she didn’t think it was that bad and breaking up would made her feel really sad? He absolutely hated the idea of hurting her. But on the other hand, there was Gwen. He was completely in love with her and it was not something he could ever change. He loved the way she smiled at him early in the morning, still sleepy, was in love with the way she would sing and dance barefoot in the kitchen making breakfast when she had the day off, loved her exaggerated laugh when he was doing something funny on purpose and absolutely loved the way she would take care of everyone around her, even though he knew she was so hurt it was like a piece of her was missing. He loved everything about Gwen. He never felt that way about anyone. Ever. And then there was Barrett. The very annoying and inconvenient Barrett, who was probably harassing the woman Blake was in love with right at that moment. 

He started to get even more nervous. He had seen Barrett with her once and it was one of his worst experiences. Blake’s hands started to sweat on the steering wheel. What if she liked him too? What if she said yes and went out with him that night? What if Barrett got exactly what he wanted just because he was there and was available? 

Blake looked at his phone, it was past 10 o’clock and he had already driven for an entire hour. There was still another full hour to reach Ada. He did not want to risk losing Gwen for not being there with her, but he also did not want to lose her because he postponed what he was supposed to do. He had asked her to wait for him, but he had never been clear enough about his feelings for her. Gwen had every right to choose Barrett if she wanted to, but first she would have to know how Blake felt. He tried to call, but no answer. He wasn’t even sure why he called her, it wasn’t like he was going to tell her he loved her in a phone call. Then he tried to call Ashley. No answer either. 

“Damn it!” Blake punched the steering wheel as he turned it to get the next exit. 

  


***

  


Blake parked his truck right next to Gwen’s car on the driveway. It was past 11:30 in the evening. He was relieved to see that she was home, because he had been to the inn before and almost had a heart attack when he didn’t see her car. It didn’t even occurred to him that she was just home. 

He opened the front door thinking about how stupid he was for even considering Gwen would say yes to Barrett’s night out. Blake knew her enough to know she wasn’t just going to do that. He had screwed up a little and had no idea how to start telling her, so he closed the door very slowly, trying not to make any noises. Maybe she was upstairs already and wouldn’t even notice him. 

“Hey, you’re home already?” But Gwen wasn’t, she was in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher. “That was very fast.” 

“You’re home?” Blake tried to change the subject as he walked past the living room to get to where she was. He didn’t really want to talk about that just yet. “I thought you were going out with Barrett.”

She laughed. The laughter he loved. “Were you thinking about this all the way up there and back here?” Gwen teased.

She had no idea how much. “Maybe I was.” He shrugged, resting his hand on the kitchen table. 

“You’re so dumb.” Gwen was still laughing while drying her hands. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt and her hair was tucked into one side of her neck, leaving the other side exposed.

“I was really afraid you would say yes to him, though.” Blake was really careful, but he needed to address the reason why he didn’t do what he was supposed to do and why he came back when he was already in the middle of the way. He was finally ready to talk about it. 

Gwen stopped what she was doing to turn to him. “I said no to Barrett.” She looked into Blake’s eyes while saying it, even though he was still a few feet away. It took her a second in silence so that she would have the courage to say what she wanted to say. “How can you imagine I would spend the night with Barrett when I'm so clearly and undeniably in love with you?”

That confession took Blake by surprise. He was suspicious and it was practically confirmed already, but it was completely different hearing it from her, there was no way to deny it anymore, or pretend they were not noticing what they felt for each other. Gwen had just made everything very clear and it was scary for her, as much as it was a relief finally being able to say it out loud. She was in love with him, no doubt, had been for months now, although she tried to suppress that feeling and pretend she wasn’t. But once those words were spoken into the universe there was no turning back. It was irrevocable. And now he would have to do something about it. 

Blake took a step forward, approaching her. His heart was beating so fast that he couldn't hear anything else. Gwen felt her breathing become irregular quickly as he was getting closer. They were looking into each other's eyes still, intensely. He took another step forward and she felt her body touch the kitchen counter behind her. There was nowhere to go from there, she couldn’t and wouldn’t run. Blake moved closer, watching her reactions calmly so that if anything made it clear that he should walk away, he would. But Gwen just looked back at him, staring into his blue eyes in the dim kitchen light. He reached out and placed his hands on the counter, each arm on either side of her body, just inches away from her.  
Gwen’s hand touched one of his arms and it went up to his shoulder, but she didn’t push him away, she just caressed the back of his neck and encouraged him to move closer. Blake then closed the distance between them completely, pressing his body lightly against hers as he tilted his head down to touch her lips with his in a light, experimental, way. He backed up to look at her the next second, expecting any kind of bad reaction that might come from her, but Gwen grabbed his shirt and pulled him back to her, pressing her lips against his once more. They both closed their eyes and completely gave themselves to the other in that moment. 

The kiss was intense from the beginning. They had waited for so long that they needed each other with urgency. Their heads were tilting from side to side while tongues explored each other deeply and their lips touched as if it was, at the same time, something customary and completely new. His hands went up to hold her waist and he pulled her up, so she ended up sitting on the kitchen counter. Her legs swiftly wrapped around his waist and she moved from the counter to his arms. Blake held her tight and turned his body to press her against the back door. One of his hands went up under her sweatshirt, touching her bare skin on the side of her body. Gwen broke the kiss to let out a breathless moan, but she took a deep breath and went right back to kissing him again. Her fingers intertwined in his hair behind his head and his strong arms were still holding on to her waist. 

Blake parted the kiss to slowly swipe his lips across her soft ones, from corner to corner, as if he was memorizing every inch of them. Then he moved his lips from her mouth to the side of her face making a trail of quick pecks up her jawbone and then to her ear. “I’m so in love with you.” He whispered before going back down to kiss her neck. 

Gwen felt her whole body trembling. She wanted him so badly. She wanted him to be completely hers that second, but she needed to make sure she could have him first. “Blake” She moaned. Her weak voice was no more than a faint whisper. “Did you talk to Ashley?”

He suddenly stopped everything. His lips were paralyzed against her neck and his hand loosened the grip on her waist while the other one was stuck under her shirt, inches away from her breasts. Blake pulled his face away, leaning back to look at her. Gwen looked back at him, very confused. “I didn’t. I wasn’t able to get there.” 

“W-what?” She leaned back and released her legs from his waist to stand back up again. “What do you mean? I thought—”

“It’s not what you’re thinking.” He interrupted her so he could explain himself before she would get to wrong conclusions. “I was on my way there, but I kept thinking about you and Barrett and I just couldn’t ignore it and keep going. I wanted to come back to you and tell you to wait for me.”

“I was going to wait for you anyway.” Gwen said it like it was something obvious, but she sounded bit frustrated. “You should’ve done your part, but you didn’t and now you’re here kissing me like you were free to do that.” She looked at him. Her dark brown eyes were even darker. 

“I’m sorry.” Blake sighed. “It was really stupid.” 

He motioned as if he was going to take a step towards her, but she put her open hand in the air to stop him. “You were really stupid and I feel really stupid too.” Gwen sighed too. She took a step to the side, tired of being cornered. “We’re not doing this right now. We just can’t.” She told him, already moving away to leave the kitchen and him behind.

“I’m sorry.” He said again.

She stopped in the middle of the living room to look back at him. “You know what? I’m tired, be a man and fix this.”

“I will. I promise.” Blake let out a tired sigh as he watched her disappear up the stairs. 

He was condemning himself for his hasty choices, but it helped him realize he had to stop waiting for a simple solution that would be good for all people involved. It was impossible. He had to fix that situation as soon as possible, regardless of who he had to deal with and maybe even hurt along the way. But first he was going to need a very cold shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no Blake.


	9. The Parking lot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are.  
> Are you guys enjoying the “calm” after the storm and before the hurricane? 
> 
> Follow me to the next one then...
> 
> Ps: Happy Birthday, Lyndsey!!!

“Good morning, my love.” Dorothy kissed the top of Blake’s head when he joined her in the kitchen for breakfast early in the morning. The sun was still lazily coming up. 

“Good morning.” He smiled at her when she placed a coffee mug in front of him. For a second, it seemed like the old times, when it used to be just the both of them. “Breakfast smells really good today.”

“It’s a ham and cheese omelet. Hope’s favorite.” She proudly told him. Blake laughed. 

“I see. Hope gets her favorites now?” He teased his mother.

“Yes, of course she does.” Dorothy laughed too. “Speaking of her, can you check on her? She was getting dressed, but it’s been a while already and I need to take her to school today.” 

Blake was taking a sip of his coffee, but he stopped when he heard her. “Where’s Gwen?” He asked, already getting ready to go do what his mom told him to do, but also curious about what she knew.

“She said she wasn’t feeling so good, so she was going to try to see a doctor before work. She was also going to run back to take Hope to school, but I said we could do that.” She explained while setting up the table for their breakfast. “I hope she’s ok.”

“Oh no.” He felt like his heart was shrinking because he knew exactly what that was about. “I don’t think she’s sick, mom.” He told his mother, without really thinking about it. “She’s just avoiding me.” 

Dorothy looked shocked. “Why would she do that? What did you do, Blake? I swear to God.”

“I kissed her.” Blake confessed.

“You did what?” His mom was even more shocked now, her mouth was even hanging open a little. “Did you and Ash break up?”

“No.” He was also honest about that. “But I love Gwen, mom. I don’t love Ashley anymore and it’s been a while.” 

“You think I don’t know that? You really think I didn’t notice the stares, the smiles, or your sparkly eyes?” Dot was still so stunned from what he told her that she felt like she needed to sit, so she pulled a chair for herself. “I haven’t seen you like this in a long time. Excited about something, full of energy and life, taking care of yourself again and even doing small happy things, like just singing in the shower. Blake you’re not even drinking that much anymore. I thought I was never going to get you back, but here you are, my happy boy again.” She touched his face and caressed it while smiling at him. “I’m so grateful to God and to them for this.” She pointed up, but she wasn’t referring to God, She was trying to point to the second floor in the direction of Gwen and Hope’s bedroom, he noticed. “But I did not raise you to be a cheater!” Her hand went down to slap his arm. “Go talk to Ashley and fix this. I don’t want any excuses.” 

“Aw, mom, what the hell?” Blake rubbed his arm, but he was laughing. “Gwen didn’t like it either, and I think she would slap me too if she could. I just hope she is not too mad at me right now.” 

“If you do the right thing, she will forgive you. You’re not the only one in love here, I know that.” She winked at him and her son laughed again, but then she narrowed her eyes and frowned. “Fix it or I’m disowning you.”

“Thanks, mom.” Blake shook his head, still laughing. He stood up after taking another sip of his coffee. “Let me check on Hope.”

Dorothy agreed, of course, and he made his way up to the second bedroom upstairs, right next to the common bathroom. Everything was silent as if nobody was up there, let alone a five year old. He knocked on the door already overthinking. There was no answer. What if something happened when they were not looking? She was a child and shouldn’t be alone. If something happened he wasn’t going to forgive himself and Gwen would definitely never forgive him.  
Blake turned the door handle to open it. As soon as he entered the room, he found Hope sitting on the unmade bed, already dressed, but with messy hair and a sad face on. The girl stared directly at the mirror in front of her.

“What’s wrong?” He immediately looked around, wondering what could make that little girl sad like that. She was so young. 

“Do I have to go to school?” She whined, looking at him without moving much. Her lower lip was pointing out and he just wanted to hug her and say everything would be ok and that she didn’t need to go anywhere she didn’t want to. 

Blake felt his heart sinking more and more by the second, but he made an effort to think as the responsible adult he was in that situation. “I’m sorry, but yes, baby girl.” He got closer, sitting on the bed too and grabbing a hairbrush that was resting on the nightstand. “I know you’re having a hard time, but running from it won’t help. You have to keep in mind that what’s inside of you is what really matters.” He positioned himself behind her and straightened her hair on her back before starting to carefully brush it.

“What do you mean?” Hope was looking at him through the mirror in front of her. She still had her sad face on, but was very interested in the conversation now. “I have bones inside of me. And water.” 

Blake laughed. He was still very impressed by the many different kinds of things the girl managed to say sometimes. Spending time with that child had become an essential thing for him. “I mean your feelings. All the bad things they say to you won’t matter if you know that they’re not true. Did you ever think of that?” He ran the hairbrush very slowly through Hope's wavy golden hair, untangling it. “So when they come to you saying those things, what do you say to them?”

“That they’re not true?” She was unsure, but he knew she was following his thoughts very well. 

“That they’re not true.” Blake agreed. “See? You’re very smart. You don’t have to worry about what they think.” Hope smiled at him through the mirror. 

“Do you think I sound funny when I talk?” She asked, still insecure because of the things the other kids were saying to her in school. “Because you talk just like the kids at my school. I mean, the way you talk. Mommy said it’s the country accent.” She giggled like that was a funny thing to say. 

“Funny is a trick word. Maybe you sound different. But what is the problem in sounding funny? What’s the problem in being different? Look at you.” Blake dropped the hairbrush beside him on the bed and held Hope's chin, lifting the girl's head so she could look at herself in the mirror. “I don’t see any problem. Do you? You’re a smart, beautiful, strong and, yes, funny little girl. And we love you. Now, where’s that smile?” He let go of her chin to tickle her neck. The girl laughed and flinched a little. 

“Ok, if they say anything, I will just tell them it’s not true.” Now she looked like a completely different person. Her big dark brown innocent eyes were sparkling again. 

“That’s my girl!” Blake smiled. “Now let’s go, breakfast is ready. Put your shoes on.” 

“Yay, I’m hungry!!!” Hope celebrated as she was jumping out of the bed. 

“Ok, but no running.” It took him much longer to get off bed and out of the room. “Your mom doesn’t like when you run!”

The two of them joined Dorothy for breakfast and they spent a pleasant morning together. It was a comfortable and very enjoyable time with family. The Sheltons had already embraced Hope as one of them, just like they did with Gwen, and the little girl felt like she finally belonged to something. It was messy and chaotic, pretty much like any family, but it was healthy and really good for all of them. 

Close to the time they should leave for school, Blake helped Hope to brush her teeth and Dorothy braided the girl's hair. Soon they were almost ready to leave. 

“Where’s Hope’s lunch box?” Dot asked her son as he was taking the girl to his truck. He had just moved her car seat from his mom’s car to his, so he could take Hope to school and then Dorothy wouldn’t be late for work. He had asked for the day off so he could try to fix what he had to fix. 

“Isn’t it in the kitchen? It’s always there.” Blake asked. He was already holding the girls hand and ready to go.

“I know, but it’s not there, and I don’t know where it could be.” Dorothy thought it was very strange that the lunch box wasn’t where it always used to be. Gwen was a very organized person, especially with Hope’s things, but maybe she really wasn’t her best self in the last few days, and maybe the girl forgot it at school or something, but nobody noticed it. “Never mind, I will just use one of mine.” 

Blake couldn’t see it as a big problem, it was just a lunch box that was probably forgotten somewhere and would soon be found. He got his keys and Hope and headed outside to his truck, this way he could strap the little girl in and get her ready to leave as soon as Dorothy finished packing her lunch. Hope happily followed Blake outside and waited as he was opening the truck’s door for her, but as soon as he did, he squeezed the little girl’s hand and pulled her away from the car.

Blake looked around with attention, before turning to Hope. “Will you do me a favor?” He asked, trying to sound as calm and ordinary as he could. “Go inside and check if Dot finished your lunch.”

“Ok.” Hope let go of his hand and turned around to go back inside. It didn’t seem like she noticed anything. 

Blake waited until she was inside to get close to the truck again. In the front seat of his car was Hope’s car seat that he had just set up there, and resting in the cushion inside of the child’s car seat there was a pink lunch box with a colorful unicorn face in it. Blake knew that lunch box very well and it was the exact one Dorothy was looking for, the one that belonged to Hope since she started school there. He had just changed the car seat from his mother’s car to his — fifteen minutes ago or so— and the lunch box was definitely not there before. But it was now.  
Once more, Blake looked around, but there was nothing and no one out of the ordinary. He took some courage and moved closer to check the object. One of his hands held the small lunch box and the other pulled the zipper to open it. Before it was completely open, a small and delicate pink flower jumped out of it like it was alive. Blake got scared and dropped the whole thing on the floor, then quickly ducked down to pick it up, cursing himself. The flower wasn’t the only thing inside the lunch box. A small square paper neatly folded in the middle had the following phrase written in it: _Sorry for missing you last night._

It was clearly a message from someone very smart. Someone without any good intentions. And it was directly to him. The lunch box was taken from his house, when no one saw it, and placed in his truck with the flower and the note inside. Maybe it wasn’t Gwen who George was trying to communicate with after all. And what did the phrase mean? He wasn’t supposed to meet anyone the night before, only Ashley. 

“I’m ready!” Hope came back seeming very excited with the borrowed lunch box on her arm. 

Blake grabbed everything that was left for him, including the pink unicorn lunchbox and hid it in the glove compartment before the girl could get close enough. “Ok, let’s go then.” He had no more time to think about that puzzle, but he knew he would have to figure that out, sooner or later.

It was, most likely, a matter of life or death.

  


***

  


_The meaning of Cherry Blossoms: Life, Death and Renewal._

Blake was stuck in his truck, reading about the flower that was left for him while a storm was breaking down furiously outside. He was not in Humberstone, he had driven all the way up to Ada and was patiently waiting for Ashley to finish her last class of the day so she could meet him. At first she was really mad because he didn’t show up the night before and left her waiting, but they talked like the two adults they were and Ashley calmed down. After that, they rearranged their conversation to the same day, so he was parked in a college parking lot where she was supposed to meet him soon.

He had already searched the whole internet for information about the meaning of the Cherry Blossoms and it would always be some variation of the circle of life and death with rebirth and renewal somewhere in there too. For most people the Cherry Blossom represented beauty and mortality because of how they looked like and how fast their circle would get to the end — all beautiful things die.  
It was making a lot of sense that George was trying to scare him, but differently from Gwen, it wasn’t going to be easy. Blake was not afraid of that man, even though he had already proven that he was, in fact, smart and somehow he had access to something that was safe inside of Blake’s home. Maybe Blake was a little concerned about that, specifically, if he was honest.

A strong knock on his passenger window almost made him jump, but he quickly recognized Ashley’s face through the glass and unlocked the truck so she could get in. 

“Oh my God, where did this storm came from?” She asked. Her hair and clothes were all wet, he noticed. She closed the door after sitting. “Hey, how are you?” She finally looked at him.

“Not too bad.” Blake said and politely smiled. He did not get a smile back. “How have you been doing?” 

“That is a complicated question.” Ashley shrugged. “I guess I’ve been just fine.”

“Look, Ash, the reason why I came all the way here was—”

“Wow, already?” She interrupted him and shook her head. “You really can’t wait to do that, can you?” 

“Excuse me? I’ve been waiting for months now because you just wouldn’t see me and let me talk.” Blake rapidly got irritated by the way she was speaking, but he took a deep breath and chose not to let things escalate to something worse than it should be. “You know what? I didn’t come here to fight, I came here so we wouldn’t have to fight anymore.” 

“We never fight.” Ashley was looking at him. She went there ready to debate anything he had to say, but now that the conversation was actually happening, she didn’t really want to fight. 

“Yeah, we never fight each other, but I fought myself for years. I fought the feeling of emptiness that made it clear that this was not enough for me, I fought against the desire that I felt to change my life and my destiny because I knew I wasn’t happy, against the certainty that I did not want to die knowing that I didn't even try to do anything for myself.” Blake was also looking at her now, and since he started talking, he wasn’t even able to hear the strong rain falling outside his truck anymore. “I don’t love you enough to marry you, Ashley and I can't carry the burden of not being able to make you happy or be happy myself for the rest of our lives. It’s already too heavy for me.”

Ashley was silent throughout his whole speech, and when he finally finished, she nodded, still silent for a couple more seconds, until her eyes met his. “Was it something I did? Was it me?” She asked. 

It broke Blake’s heart a little. “No, it wasn’t you. It was not about you at all. It was something in me.”

“Was it Gwen?” She was not shy about asking that either. 

And he felt really uncomfortable. The conversation was already hard, but she had to throw Gwen in there too. “It wasn’t Gwen either. That feeling has been in me for years now and you know that, don’t you?” He asked, but he still wanted to be completely honest. “But I do like Gwen. I don’t want to lie to you.” 

“Yes, I knew it.” Ashley looked away from him and straight out the car’s window. “About the feeling being there for years and about Gwen too. I’ve always known.” 

“I’m really sorry about all that, I never wanted to hurt or upset you.” Blake held her hand for a second, but she pulled it away. 

“I know, Blake, but I don’t think we can be friends right now, ok? I had a life planned, you know? A whole life by your side after I finished college. We would get married and have children, I was going to have a career and you would be an amazing father. I had it all figured out.” Ashley was serious while telling him all that, and her fingers were intertwined with each other, as if she needed that kind of security. “What do I have now? I don’t have anything. Your feelings are not the only ones that matter, you know? Have you thought about that? You changed your mind and left me with nothing.”

“I wasn’t happy, Ash.” He tried to explain again, this time he didn’t dare to touch anything. “And you weren’t happy.”

“Who said I wasn’t happy?” She yelled at him, suddenly snapping. 

“You couldn’t be happy with someone who didn’t love you.” Blake was still trying to keep his calm. He promised he wasn’t going to fight and he knew she had every right to be mad at him. 

“I didn’t know!!!” Ashley was still yelling, though. “Yes, I knew you were struggling after your dad died, but I didn’t know it had something to do with me too. I was trying my best to be there for you, Blake, I just wasn’t enough.”

“Hey, don’t say that. It has nothing to do with you not being enough.” He calmly said. Blake was trying not to hurt her any more than he had already done. 

“But it does, doesn’t it?” Ashley cast him a furious look, piercing it into his eyes as if she would be able to hurt him just by staring at him. “Because Gwen is enough, isn’t she? She’s perfect.” Then she let out a sarcastic laugh. “If you only knew.” 

“Knew what?” Blake suddenly got irritated again, but really curious about what she could be talking about. It wasn’t like she could possibly know about Gwen’s past. 

“You know what? You did what you came here to do, Blake. We are not engaged anymore, we don’t even have any kind of relationship. You’re free, congratulations!” Ashley clapped like they had something to celebrate, but she did not look anything close to happy. “So I’m going to leave and please, leave too.” She opened the truck’s door and got out, not caring about the storm outside. “And Blake, you lived your whole life trying to make your father proud, but you never could, because you’re not half of the man he was. I wish you were better.” And she slammed the door shut before he could say anything back. 

Those words pierced Blake's chest like a blade, but he quickly made peace with them. He deserved it, there was no doubt. He was suffocated before, needing to immediately fix that and get out of that relationship, but it wasn't like he felt better now that it was finally done. Blake still felt suffocated and as if he was the worst person in the world, but he did what he had to do. He was free now. He should feel free. 

He turned the truck back on and deeply sighed, getting ready to leave Ada and drive all the way back to Humberstone under the furious storm. That was another thing he was sure he deserved. 

  


***

  


She quietly snuck into the room. The lights were out in the entire place and the sound of the rain falling heavily against the roof of the house helped so she wasn’t even noticed. Besides, it was after 11 o’clock at night and Dorothy had been in bed for hours, just like Hope. 

Gwen closed the door behind her and turned around. Her eyes were perfectly used to the darkness by now, and she was able to see Blake tucked under his covers, just his shoulders and head were out and visible. It was a very cold night, to be fair, temperatures were around low 40s and the fall already had a really vivid winter feeling. A very different winter then the many she had in California.  
She tiptoed from the door to the bed and slowly moved to under the covers with him. Blake was sleeping soundly, but he moved and grunted when she got closer and wrapped her arm around his body. He started to slowly wake up, so she snuggled in closer and leaned her head up to kiss his closed eyelids.  
He opened his eyes, very disoriented, and was a little surprised when he saw Gwen in bed with him.

“Hey, you.” His husky, sleepy voice was just above a whisper, but he smiled. 

“Hey, you.” She said back, fighting the urge she had to just taste his lips again, like she did the night before. 

“I was worried about you.” Under the covers, he also wrapped his arm around her body and pulled her a little more to him. His fingers ran through the thin silk fabric of her nightgown, on her back. “But my mother said you were at work and that you were ok, so I thought I would just wait for you at home, but I guess I fell asleep.” 

“I guess you did.” Gwen smiled. She was feeling so warm, comfortable and loved that the cold weather didn’t matter at all anymore. “Don’t worry about me, I just went to the lake in the morning, to think a little. I had to.”

“I’m sorry I kissed you when I shouldn’t have.” Blake honestly apologized. “I wasn’t thinking. I guess yesterday was a terrible day to make any decisions, I made the worst choices ever.” They laughed together, trying not to be so loud.

“I didn’t know the kiss was that bad to be such a terrible decision.” She was still laughing. She was joking, of course, and he knew it. 

“No, not the kiss. The kiss was amazing. But the timing.” He said. His face was so close to hers that he could see the pores on her skin and the delicate outline of her lips. “But I fixed it.” 

“You did?” Gwen looked into his blue eyes. Even in the dark she could see they had the most beautiful sparkle. 

“I did. I went back there and I talked to Ashley. I finally fixed it.” Blake lightly laughed, not because it was funny, but because he was genuinely happy.

She was still a little apprehensive. “And how do you feel?”

“Kind of weird when I think about it. It wasn’t an easy conversation and I felt really bad.” He was honest. “But I’m free. I needed it and I will feel really good soon.” 

“I’m sorry.” Gwen knew Blake was a good man and that it was probably killing him to know he had hurt someone. She suddenly was feeling really bad for the things she said to him the night before. “I'm sorry if I rushed this. I didn't want to make you feel like you had to do this now and fast. I just—”

“Hey, it’s ok.” He interrupted her just because she was overthinking something that wasn’t even close to the truth. “You didn’t rush anything. I wanted to do it for a long time.” His hand went up to softly caress her face. “I just want to be with you now. I want to take care of you, love you and make you happy.” Once again, he couldn’t be more honest. “Will you let me?”

Her lips curved into a smile and she nodded. “Yes, of course.” That was the best thing someone had ever told her. Blake didn’t just want to date her or to get all the benefits that would come with commitment. He wanted to love her and to take care of her, therefore he would make her the happiest woman in the whole entire world. “I want it too.”

His face got closer to hers and he tilted his head a bit to the side so their lips would fit perfectly. Gwen closed her eyes and let her body drift towards his, ending any distance there was between them. Blake’s hand was still stroking her face and her legs were tangled between his legs under the covers.  
The kiss was soft and calm at first. They still wanted each other just like they did the night before, but at that moment none of them were trying to search for anything other than companionship and love. They shared one breath while their bodies where flooded with feelings, thrills and the best kind of chills. The thrill of being free to be with each other and to belong to each other was finally hitting both of them like lightning. That electric feeling started to change the kiss from the loving and calm one to something firmer and more intense. 

Blake’s hand moved down from Gwen’s face to her thigh, just below the hem of her nightgown. He slowly brushed the tip of his fingers against her soft skin and then pressed, his short finger nails lightly scratching her. She felt the heat immediately rising to her cheeks and had to break the kiss to let out a quick sigh. But her mouth looked for his again right after. Gwen bit his lower lip and pulled it, sucking on it for a second before releasing it. Blake went right back to kissing her, his tongue invaded her mouth, thirsty for her. Desire increasing with every encounter of their tongues, dancing like they were mating and dueling as if they could also be sworn enemies. 

Heads tilted again. Gwen’s mouth slating against his, making his whole body start to throb. Blake’s hand went up on her thigh, pushing the silk fabric of her nightgown up to her hipbone. She moved her legs, shifting the position a little and her hip brushed the front of his pajama pants. His hand then went under her nightgown, going up the side of her body, touching her soft bare skin and claiming her body as his. Gwen parted the kiss once more, this time because she needed to breathe. Her head was reeling. Blake lightly pressed his palm over one of her breasts and it just stayed there for a moment as if he was testing the texture or measuring as her body temperature rose. She looked at him in the completely dark room, waiting and wanting more. Her heart was pounding so loud she couldn’t hear the rain on the roof anymore. Her nipple hardened under his touch and then he moved, sliding his hand down and running two fingers up and down across her nipple, driving her completely crazy. 

Their lips were still lightly touching and Gwen moaned into his mouth, making him lean forward to kiss her again. The kiss was like a wild fire now, more urgent than ever, like they were going to burst into flames. His hand cupped her breast and he squeezed it. Her chest rose against his palm, seeking for more contact with his fingers. Blake tightened his fingers and squeezed her breast repeatedly, with an irresistible urge. He then slowly circled her nipple and grabbed it in between two fingers, pulling it a little and twisting it. Gwen’s toes curled and she broke the kiss to tilt her head back and moan louder. His lips slid down to her neck and drafted to lick it and suck on it. 

“Blake” She whimpered. Her voice was weak. She didn’t really have anything to say, she just wanted to moan his name and show him how much pleasure he was causing her. Her body drifted towards his again and her left leg wrapped around his waist. He moved his hand from her breast and went down the side of her body to her hips. “I want you.” The words came out as a breathless moan and her fingernails scratched their way down his back.

Blake grunted with pleasure. His fingers intertwined the soft cotton of her panties and he pulled it down a little, just to tease her. “Let me taste you first.” He asked. There was no way he was going to miss that opportunity. 

She put her leg back down and shifted positions so she was laying on her back. He quickly sat up, getting rid of his shirt. It flew across the room, landing on the floor somewhere, then he did the same to his pants and his boxers were all that was left. His attention went right back to Gwen, she bit her lower lip in anticipation, scanning his whole body. 

Blake leaned over and his hands touched her shoulders, then they slowly went down the front of her body, over her breasts and down to her belly and hips. He took the hem of her nightgown in his hands and pulled it up until he removed it over her head. Then he took a second to look at her. Her slim body, her perfect sized breasts, her hip curves, her delicious thighs. Blake felt his body throbbing again, just by looking at her. His hands went down her body once more. He touched both her thighs and went up to her only remaining garment, holding on both side to pull the soft cotton down her legs and also get rid of it completely. He then spread her thighs apart. She felt his fingertips brushing against her skin, exploring her softness, going up and down the inside part of her thighs. His lips started to kiss right above her hip line, under her bellybutton, but they quickly went down, making a tremor work it’s way through her body. 

Blake comfortably laid down on his belly, between her legs so his face was level with her sex. Gwen pushed up on her elbows to be able to still see what he was doing, but she wasn’t able to keep that position for long. As soon as he opened his mouth and touched her sex with his lips, she felt a strong wave of pleasure hit her and bring her down to her back again. Blake kissed her just like he had kissed her mouth before, firm and moist, with such determination that made her gasp with a wild pleasure. Gwen had completely forgot how sex could be pleasurable. 

His fingers dig into her thighs as he was holding her wide open for him. His tongue found its way to her clitoris and he circled it slowly, pressing against it a couple of times, just teasing. She put her arms up, holding the bed frame as if she needed it so she wouldn’t get completely lost. Her body arched, her back leaving the mattress under it and her hips moving slowly against his face, aching for more of his attention. Then Blake positioned his lips over her and swirled his tongue right before sucking her into his mouth. Gwen nearly screamed with pleasure when he did that, she was able to hold herself at the last second, but she mewled loudly. He enjoyed the sound, and gave her a long lick before inserting his tongue inside her, feasting on her wetness. That was exactly what he wanted, and it was almost as pleasurable to him as it was to her. Then he pulled away. 

“Oh God.” She whimpered again. “Please I need more.” She was on the verge of losing all control.

His skillful hands quickly grabbed her waist and made her turn around, with her belly against the mattress. “What do you want?” Blake asked.

“You.” Gwen cried, pleading. “I want you to fuck me.”

The way she asked for it made his whole body shudder with pleasure. He felt so complete, so desirable, so manly.  
Blake pushed his boxers down to his legs and then he grabbed her hips, pulling them up and making her use her knees to support her lower body. His cock pressed against her entrance and she gasped once more, shutting her eyes closed. Blake’s body leaned over hers, his mouth touching her neck, his hot chest pressed against her back. She heard his breathing getting even heavier as he started to rub himself against her. Then his throat made a deep hoarse sound and he pushed himself slowly inside her, sliding deep and tight. Gwen yelped and he had to cover her mouth with one of his hand or she would probably wake up the whole house. She bit his fingers and sucked them as he was backing off a little to slam back in again hard. He got so deep that it was painfully pleasurable. 

Blake grunted as he started to stroke against her. Their bodies were working together to pleasure each other and it was working as if they were made to fit perfectly. As he pushed his hips forward, she pulled hers a little and then bounced back against him, making both of them sound like they were experimenting all of that for the first time.  
His strokes sped up until he wasn’t controlling anything anymore. His cock was pounding inside of her, making it clear he wasn’t going to be able to hold his pleasure for much longer. Gwen wasn’t very far from it either, her whole body was trembling, her knees were weak, barely holding on, she was biting the pillowcase, trying to muffle her moans, her toes were curled and her fingers were digging into the sheets under her. 

Blake pulled her hips higher and slammed against her once more, this time hitting exactly the spot he wanted to hit inside her. Gwen yelped again, moaning into the pillowcase. “There?” He asked, his voice just above a breathless whisper.

“There. Oh God, yes.” She whimpered, throwing her body against his. He then held her tightly, moving his waist to repeatedly stroke against her without letting her move so he could hit the same spot over and over again inside her.

And right there, Gwen lost herself completely. She dug her head on the pillow to scream. Her climax came as a hot wave and it was so strong that it overpowered her completely, like an explosion. She felt like she was leaving her body to enjoy a strong pleasure that came in waves, one stronger than the other, until she was dominated by it and all she could feel was the hot sensation of a wild fire burning inside of her.  
Blake’s climax was ignited by hers. When her body shuddered beneath him, he could no longer control anything else. His cock violently pounded and he groaned loudly. His whole body shuddered and he started to stroke against her again, involuntary. The pleasure drove Blake wild. It took him a while to come down and be conscious again. He couldn’t tell for how long he was groaning and moving his body against hers. He lost track of time. His climax was so strong that is was almost violent. 

Blake threw his body on the bed next to Gwen when he was finally recovering, and she slid her knees down, completely incapable of moving more than that. Her face was still buried into the pillow, but it wasn’t helping her breathing, so she slowly turned her neck to the side. He was looking at her when she opened her eyes, his hand resting on her lower back. 

Blake smiled at her and Gwen could help but laugh. “What?” He flashed her a confused look, but was also laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” She kept laughing. “I’m just laughing.” There was not a specific reason, she was just content and satisfied, and nothing else really mattered. 

His laugh quickly turned into a smile and Gwen was smiling at him too. Blake’s hand went up and he pushed her messy hair away from her face. Her cheeks were slightly pink and her eyes had a different sparkle, as if all her worries were momentarily gone. The sex was pleasurable and overdue — It made it clear that they belonged to each other entirely and that they were made for that perfect fit — but the important fact that night was just that they were completely free. 

He leaned over to kiss her lips softly this time and then backed up to look into her dark sparkly eyes. Nothing else in the whole world mattered to him either, as long as she was right there.  
Gwen completely forgot about George and her old life, and Blake didn’t even think to mention the Cherry Blossom or Hope’s lunch box. They very much enjoyed the calm. The calm before the dark winter storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, please?


	10. Hill Farm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you guys ready? Cause here we go.

Humberstone woke up under a freezing, constant light rain. Friday had everything to be a melancholy day, but no bad feelings had really managed to penetrate the happy bubble that was over the one white house on Little Swamp Lane. For its residents, it might as well be sunny and warm outside. Blake woke up in such a good mood that it infected his mother right at the breakfast table. They were both chatting and laughing when Gwen and Hope went downstairs to join them. The family breakfast was delightful and full of laughter, but Gwen and Blake decided to keep their little secret between them, for that moment at least. They were still enjoying the surprising happy moment they were having, and they felt like telling other people about it so soon would probably bring unnecessary problems. So they limited their romance to flirty smiles and some lovely eye contact. 

Gwen took Hope to school and then went to work with an impeccable mood and a smile dancing frequently on her lips. It was as if the exchange of intimacy that she and Blake had the previous night had recharged all her batteries. Suddenly she felt brand new, as if she could finally see in color again. And she was so happy and calm that even Barbara wouldn’t be able to change her mood. But Friday didn’t disappoint, and when Gwen got there, she learned that the inn’s owner had taken the day off to sort out some personal things. Roger, Barbara's husband, was taking care of the guests' reception, and he had always been a quiet man, so he didn’t really mess with the restaurant’s dynamic. 

Dorothy stayed there until 4 o’clock in the afternoon and then left to go pick Hope up from school and head home. Gwen, Kelly and Dylan stayed for the night shift with the other cook, Javier, and the mood was still light and pleasant. That is until it started to get really busy, after 5pm. They even called in another waitress who would always be available for weekend shifts. Her name was Sierra, but they didn’t know much more about her, besides the fact that she was really young and had just finished high school.

At some point, it seemed like half of the town was inside the not so big space that was the inn’s restaurant. The Friday night suddenly became loud, nerve wracking and busier than any other day that week, but the staff managed to keep the friendly smile on their faces and the instinctive teamwork that they had perfected together. But that was when Barbara got there, in the middle of the dinner hurricane situation, and decided to take an opportunity out of that.

When they all realized her presence, she was already clearing her throat and catching everybody’s attention. “Good evening my good Humberstone people.” She greeted everyone like they were there to watch the show she was about to put on. People looked at her and some even waved, because everybody knew Barbara in that small town. The side conversations diminished, until they completely stopped. “I would like to welcome everybody to our little family restaurant. It seems like it’s a very busy Friday night, so it’s the perfect day for a little story time. Isn’t it?” She kept talking and some people were responding to her as she went on. The staff kept working on the customers orders and other needs, they just couldn’t stop. “You people know me, so you know I’m a nice country business woman that would never disturb her customers and guests dinner if it wasn’t for a good reason. And the reason today is worrisome.” Barbara cleared her throat again as the place seemed to get more crowded by the second. People were stopping in the halls and even at the door, to see what was going on, and even Roger left the front desk to check on what was happening. “I was born and raised in this small town. I know everyone who, like me, was raised here, I know their life, their children, their culture, their past and present. It’s a comfortable feeling to know and love your neighbors. But we can't say that about all the people in Humberstone anymore.” Gwen stopped where she was, in the middle of the restaurant’s salon, with her big empty silver tray in hand. Suddenly she had a really bad feeling about that speech. “I spent the whole day with my poor daughter Ashley, who’s heart is broken because the man she loved since she was a little girl just decided he won’t marry her anymore, because he’s in love with another woman.”

Gwen definitely knew exactly where Barbara was trying to get. It was clear that Ashley told her mom about the conversation she had with Blake the day before and her mother was not happy about that. Perhaps she was even more upset than her own daughter. “Wait, Barbara. Can we talk about this?” Gwen approached the woman and tried to talk to her, but didn’t succeed. 

“This woman…” This time Barbara pointed right at her. “Who got here the other day, without a past and a future, and that if it wasn’t for my generosity, wouldn't even be able to put a roof over her daughter's head. This woman just stole my daughter’s whole life and future to herself.” The atmosphere in the restaurant was so tense that you could cut the air with a knife. People were staring and whispering. Gwen was holding her breath for so long that her head started to hurt. “The point is, we don’t know you and we don’t want you here. I want you out of our town. But I want people to know the filthy slut you are before you go.”

That specific name call made a wave of anger travel across Gwen's body to her face. She was so sick of unfair accusations about her and wasn't going to let it go this time. Before she knew, she was already throwing the restaurant’s tray on the floor with all the strength she had. The initial noise sounded like the crash of two drum cymbals, and then the tray still spun several times before finally stopping. The people around jumped, some even moved away. And all of them seemed to hold their breath. 

“Enough.” Gwen stated. “I’m not going to stand here and just listen to you saying all this shit about me. You don’t even know me. You don’t know anything about me.”

“You think I don’t know anything, but I know more than you imagine.” Barbara snapped back at her. 

“Guess what? I don’t care.” Gwen was losing her last patience straw. She was done with being quiet while being treated as less than she deserved. “And I quit.” She pulled her apron off her waist and threw it on the floor too, next to the tray. 

“No you don’t. I’ll fire you. You’re fired!” The inn’s owner yelled back.

“Barbara, I think you’re a little out of your mind. Maybe you should leave and think about this.” Kelly was close to them now, ready to intervene, but also keeping a safe distance. “This is just crazy.”

“I’m not going anywhere. She’s the one leaving.” Barbara was now completely hysterical. “You’re that kind of woman who invades people’s lives to take something from them. I’ll make sure everyone in this town knows this, and I will make your life a living hell from now on. I promise you that.” She furiously took a step forward and tried to strike Gwen out of nowhere.

“Hey!” Kelly instinctively blocked her with her body. “That is not a normal thing to say or to try to do to a person, Barbara. Gwen is one of us. You really need to calm down.”

“Kelly, please, I don’t need you here.” Gwen didn’t want the other waitress to have her job on the line too, but it was too late, Dylan joined them and they were both staring at their boss and waiting for her to realized it had gone too far already. 

Even customers were starting to leave. The atmosphere was heavier than ever.

“I don’t care about any of you.” Barbara wasn’t yelling this time, but her whole face was still red. “I want her out. Get out of here, you slut, I wish to never see your face again. And I hope you enjoy that man until he decides to exchange you for another new girl.” 

“Gladly.” Gwen said it with anger and kicked the silver tray that was on the floor so it would slam against the kitchen wall and make the same deafening drum sound once more. “I don’t wish you anything bad, because I can only imagine how terrible your life must be already.” She then decided it was better to leave, before things got out of control and they all got in real trouble. 

More people started to stand up and leave too.

Barbara quickly stepped forward another time, to try to reach Gwen while she was turning to leave, but Kelly stopped her again. This time, the owner pushed her employee away. “Get out of my way, Kelly.”

“No, you’re not doing this.” Kelly couldn’t believe that she was really in that position. If it wasn’t for her, Barbara would have gotten physical with Gwen and to her that was just ridiculous. It seemed to Kelly that Barbara was officially crazy. “You know what? I quit too.” 

“What? No, you can’t.” Her boss looked at her like she was the crazy one. “You need this job.”

“I quit too. I’m leaving.” Dylan also threw his apron on the floor and stepped on it. That gave Kelly even more courage to leave. 

“Let’s go, Dylan. And good luck to you, Barbara. It is a very busy Friday night after all.” Kelly tried to keep a straight face, but failed and ended up fully belly laughing on her way to the break room. 

Barbara looked at Sierra and Javier, the only two employees remaining, but they didn’t join the other ones. Javier couldn’t lose his job and Sierra couldn’t even move at that point. Still, Barbara was shaking with anger. The plot that — in her mind — her employees planned against her had left her understaffed, with a crowded restaurant on a Friday night, and more angry than ever. But one thing she was sure of: They would all have to pay, especially Gwen. 

  


***

  


“No Blake, I do not need your help, I’m just calling because I needed to calm down.” Gwen explained again as she was pacing back and forth in the parking lot, still trying to refrain herself from going back inside and making another scene. 

“But I’ll pick you up. You can’t drive like this.” He insisted. She knew there was no point in arguing with him. 

She sighed. “What about my car?” 

“We will come back for it later. Just park it away from the restaurant’s back door. Don’t let Barbara see you left it there.” Blake said to her. But it wasn’t all, he was still worried. “Don’t go back inside. Promise?”

“Ok, I wont go back.” Gwen promised, but mostly because she saw Kelly and Dylan coming out the back door. The fact that they changed into normal clothes and were leaving that early made clear that something was wrong. “I gotta go, Kelly and Dylan are here. I will wait for you.”

“I will be there in 15 minutes.” He said. Already grabbing his keys. “I have an idea.”

“Thank you. See you soon.” She thanked him, but didn’t pay much attention to what he said. Kelly and Dylan were really close to her now, so she hanged up. “What happened?” She asked the other two.

“We quit.” Dylan was the first one to say something. 

“What do you mean you quit? You guys can’t quit because of me. Go back and say you’re not quitting.” Gwen felt really bad for thinking it was all because of her. “There will be no more quitting today. Please fix this.” She exchanged looks between the two of them. 

“It wasn’t just because of you.” Kelly explained, already imagining what the other one was thinking. “I thought about quitting for years and never did because I was comfortable, even though I wasn’t the happiest. Barbara is not a good boss, or person in general, but what she did to you was crazy even for her. And for what? Because Blake doesn’t want to be with Ashley anymore? Everybody who knew them knew Blake wasn’t happy, he was probably just too comfortable too. Yes, he lost his father, but like, who would just push their girlfriend away after that? He did it because he didn’t like her anymore. These things happen.” She was talking so fast that Gwen had to focus so she would understand everything. Kelly was always like that, sometimes she would shoot people with words after words, without even breathing in between. If she was nervous then it was even worse. 

“I just really don’t think I want to stay in Humberstone. I will try to move out as soon as I can, so that’s ok if I have to look for another job, I wasn’t going to keep that one anyway.” Dylan shrugged. “But I only quit now because she was really a bitch to you. I don’t want to work for someone like her.” The young man crossed his long, thin arms in front of his chest. It was starting to get cold. “We left her with a lot of work to do.”

“Finally she will have to work.” Kelly laughed really loud while clapping her hands. It was something she would always do too and that would always get everybody excited. “She was just sticking her nose in other people’s business while at work.”

Since arriving in Humberstone, Gwen had a feeling that the people there were good people, unlike her curious but distant neighbors in Sun Valley, but she never expected anyone to do something like that for her, or because of something that happened to her. As crazy as it was, and even though she wished they hadn't done any of that, she understood and appreciated what they had in their hearts that made them do it. If she was honest, it made her feel like she wasn’t so alone in the world anymore. 

“It was so stupid, you guys.” Gwen sighed. “But I appreciate it so much I could actually hug you.” 

“Aw shut up, we didn’t do anything for you.” Kelly said, but stepped forward anyway to get the promised hug. “Promise you won’t disappear?” 

“I promise.” They hugged for a couple of seconds and then Gwen was promising what she wanted to her. The truth was that she couldn’t really promise anything. 

“Go get your hug, Dylan.” Kelly said to the younger guy, patting his shoulder. “I know you’re probably dying for it.” Dylan loudly complained and rolled his eyes, but hugged Gwen anyway. “Uh oh, Dylan, Blake’s coming.” She joked. 

That caused the guy to let go of the hug quickly like he was doing something really wrong, which gave Kelly a reason to let out the longest and loudest hysterical laugh.

“Don’t be mean, Kelly.” Gwen was also laughing, and it was almost like the three of them were never in a complicated, nerve wracking situation minutes before. It was also almost like they had a job to go back to the next day. 

“I’m leaving you.” Dylan pretended to be offended, but soon he was waving at them while he walked to his car. 

“Don’t be a stranger either.” Kelly yelled so he could hear. “I will miss both of you.” 

“I will miss you guys too.” He said it back. 

“I will miss you too.” Gwen told her, since she was still by her side. “And Dylan, and having Dorothy at work.” Then she thought about Blake’s mom and how that would probably affect her too. “I hope it’s not too bad for Dot.”

“I don’t know.” Kelly shook her head. “It’s better for her if she quits too. Barbara is kind of crazy right now.” 

“I don’t want her to quit. It’s not like any of us are rich, and also it’s not like Humberstone has a lot of jobs to offer.” Gwen felt a cold breeze ruffle all the hair on her arm and neck. She was unsure if it was really the cold or the bad feeling she had just had. “I don’t want to affect people’s lives in such a negative way like that.” 

“Not everything is about you, ok? Relax. Let people make their own choices without it weighting on you so much.” Kelly patiently calmed her down, not talking so fast for the first time ever. “Most of us didn’t even like working here to start with. You quitting just inspired us.”

“Hm.” Gwen looked at her with a crooked smile, as if she had noticed something new in her friend. Something that was always there, but never really showed that much. “You’re really good with words, Kelly.”

“Yeah? Is that a joke because I talk too much? I’ve heard those.” Kelly laughed.

“No, I’m trying to say that I’m glad you’re my friend.” Gwen explained and the other woman looked at her like she had said something rare. “And I don’t really have many friends, so thank you.” 

Kelly leaned forward to hug Gwen again. They were both glad they were able to be together in that moment, and although they both lost things that night, they now knew they also won other things. That was the exact fast way the universe worked. It seemed fair. 

A quick honk sounded loudly, cutting the silence, and making the two women jump in a brief scare. 

“Oh my god, Shelton.” Kelly yelled at him, starting to talk fast again. “That was so unnecessary. I don’t know why you’re like this. You’re so stupid.” 

Blake had his window rolled down and was laughing. That and Kelly’s shocked face made Gwen giggle too. 

“Nice to see you too, Kelly.” He said, but she was already moving away from him. 

“I love you Gwen.” Kelly said, and then shot Blake with a deadly stare. “I’m not so sure about you, Shelton.” And she kept going back to her car, still complaining about the loud honk, even if it was just for herself.

Still laughing, Blake then turned to Gwen. “Let’s go, pretty girl. I want to take you somewhere.”

  


***

  


Gwen was about to open the truck’s door when Blake came all the way from the drivers side to do that for her. They had driven for about 20 minutes, passing the set of dead end streets where they lived, next to the lake, and kept going south. The back road was full of curves and hills, until the mountains appeared on the horizon where the sun was setting. Blake turned right on a dirt road, going up a path that seemed like it would never end, until they reached the top of a very high hill and he stopped the car right there.  
It was an open space, with a grass of dark green that was still more alive than the grass of the small town below, but it was also slowly dying because of the winter that was about to arrive. There was an abandoned barn behind them and a very large cliff in front, where they could see their whole town and a few others around it. Humberstone was just a small town hidden behind the Stonewoods and surrounded by the magnificent Lake Ember, that had such dark and deep waters at night that they could barely make out its form in the darkness. They could see the lights on the main street in downtown, the boardwalks lit up around the lake and the bridge that isolated the town from the rest of Oklahoma. That was basically all about Humberstone, a remote country town, which used to be quiet, but it wasn't anymore. Not since she stepped foot there for the first time, four months ago. 

“It’s so beautiful.” Gwen looked away from the breathtaking landscape to look at Blake. The bright yellow full moon was reflecting in her dark eyes, he noticed, making them even more sparkly. 

Suddenly the whole situation with Barbara wasn’t bothering her anymore. It was so beautiful and peaceful up there. It seemed like nothing bad could catch up to them. 

“This used to be the Hill farm.” He told her as his arms wrapped around her body and pulled her a little towards him. She was still contemplating the beautiful view, but had her back leaned against his chest now. The cold fall breeze was no match for the warmth of their bodies together. “The Hills were the richest family in Humberstone a long time ago. They basically owned the whole town and they were not very nice people.” Blake started to tell a story about the land where they stood. He had leaned over to rest his chin on her shoulder. Their faces were touching, her soft hair was tickling his neck, and his voice was just above a whisper. “The story says they used the people in town as slaves in their farm and wouldn’t let them leave. The bridge didn’t exist yet, so the only way to leave town was by swimming in the lake’s waters or catching a ride on a boat from out of town, but both options were illegal and the sentence for anyone caught trying to escape was death. So you can guess they were not very popular then.” 

“That is terrible.” Gwen frowned, but she was enjoying the story telling, the beautiful landscape and Blake’s strong body behind hers. “And what happened?”

He laughed, but proceeded to tell the story. “When the Hills younger daughter got old enough to get married, which wasn’t very old at that time, they started to let her go down to check the boys in town, you know what I’m saying?” Blake cleared his throat exaggeratedly, joking.

It was her turn to laugh. “Yes I know. So what?”

“Well, the girl fell in love with a Shelton.” He said. She looked at him with raised eyebrows. “I know. She had good taste, you can relate to that, can’t you?” 

“Shut up.” Gwen rolled her eyes, but she was still laughing. “I mean, go on.” 

“So, she married my great-great grandfather, or something like that, and they led the revolution up to the Hills ass.” Blake told, then he turned their bodies around, showing the land close by. “They burned the house that used to stand up in that hill. They threw the family out of Humberstone, released the animals, freed the townspeople, took the farm to themselves, built the bridge so people could leave whenever they wanted to, and left the barn standing as a reminder for the future generations who chose to stay, even though it’s abandoned and half burned.” He pointed to each important place that he was talking about and could still show. “I’m sure the Hills still live somewhere out of here, but the town is free from them. And the Sheltons lived on, of course.” They both lightly laughed. “The thing is, I grew up hearing stories about the revolution and this Hill woman who became a Shelton and fought for our people. I can’t help but think you’re a little like her.”

“Me?” Gwen let go of their hug so she could turn around and look at him. “Do you really think I could lead a revolution like that? It took me long years to run from something that was literally killing me.”

“But you did.” Blake didn’t seem to change his mind at all. “I can only imagine how difficult it was and still is for you, but you ran away. And I don’t have to wonder, you just led a revolution right up Barbara’s ass.” 

“Oh don’t say that.” She shook her head. “That was terrible. Now my friends don’t have a job.” 

“Well, honestly I have to tell you that my mom is also quitting.” He said it fast because it was easier that way. 

“What? No, Blake!” Gwen looked really upset when she crossed her arms over her body and frowned. Her eyebrows got closer to each other, in the middle of her wrinkled forehead. 

“Relax.” Blake touched her elbows and went up her arms, caressing her skin over her sweater until he got to her upper arms and closed his fingers around it to pull her to him again. His strong arms wrapped around her body easily. “Having her own restaurant was always her dream, and she thinks she worked enough to be able to finally achieve it. She has some money in the bank. It’s her retirement plan, and she will use it. I will work a little more while we build it, but she will finally have the life she always wanted. And your friends will have a job there if they want.” 

“Really?” Gwen smiled at him. The sparkle was back to her dark eyes. 

“Really.” He confirmed, so she leaned up, standing on her tiptoes to meet him halfway. Their lips touched and they shared a calm but passionate kiss. 

She soon broke the kiss so she could look at him again. “I have a story to tell too. Can you light up a fire?” She asked him, already letting go of the hug so she could go back to the car. “I will change out of this stupid uniform and we can burn it too.”

Blake laughed and nodded. He could light as many fires as she wanted, and he could also spend the whole night just hearing stories about her life, or telling her the countless crazy stories about his family and that town. It would definitely be a night to remember forever. The night they got to completely know each other. 

Gwen changed her clothes in the car. She put her jeans on and a long sleeve, high neck black top. When she got back, Blake had lit up a fire and laid down a big towel on the half dead grass — the same towel from the afternoon at the lake. They sat there together and she really threw her old inn’s restaurant uniform to feed the flames.  
After they had settled down, she told him about how her parents had died in a car accident when she was still Hope's age. It was such a long time ago that she didn’t even remember their faces anymore, the only memory she had was of the beach that was close to the house where they used to live, in Orange County, California. She was raised by one of her aunts, on her fathers side, a woman who had 4 other children to worry about. She was by no means her favorite one.

Blake told her about the lunch box and the Cherry Blossom and they got to the conclusion that George was just trying to scare them, even though they promised to watch over each other and Dorothy and Hope, just to be safe.  
Gwen now believed that she trusted George was a good man for that long because she thought he was her only chance of having a family. She also thought it was worth it, because of Hope. But she was far from the big yellow house on Rainbow Street now, and she never felt so at home like she was feeling then, with Blake’s arms around her while she leaned her back against his body again, sitting in front of the warm fire and breathing in the cold country air on top of a hill, while looking over the beautiful small town under it. She was home because, right there, with her face pressed against his chest, she could hear his heart beating slow and steady. So alive and hers. Suddenly the realization of the fact that home wasn’t a place took her by surprise. The little remote town hidden behind the big Stonewoods wasn’t home. Blake was home. 

  


***

  


Dorothy quit. The inn’s restaurant closed its door for lunch for a week or so, opening only for dinner, with Javier in the kitchen. Thanksgiving week was a really cold one, and December came right after. Christmas decorations and music were everywhere and the little town was looking cozier than ever, although a thick fog was hanging over Humberstone since the last day of November. The mornings were very dark and it was impossible to see any stars in the sky at night. Even the moon seemed to be hiding behind the thick dark clouds for some reason.

Blake was leaving home really early in the morning and working late almost everyday. He was never home before 10 o’clock at night anymore. Dorothy was looking for a place downtown to start building her own restaurant, and while she didn’t find anything she liked, she was cooking from home so the people who always loved her food and used to go to the inn’s restaurant just because of her cooking could still enjoy their favorite dishes. Gwen was delivering the meals for her and helping her out with anything she could, since Humberstone didn’t seem to have any jobs opportunities for her. She would constantly think that maybe Barbara was really making her life harder somehow.  
Other than that, Gwen and Blake were really dating then, with blessing from Dorothy and Hope. They were not hiding it from anyone else either, but also didn’t want to display it without a careful second thought. She was also spending a lot of time with Hope and checking her school progress. It seemed like the little girl was improving and doing very well. Even the bullying situation seemed to have ended. Until she got a call from her teacher Alicia on an ordinary Thursday afternoon. 

“You have no idea what she did.” Gwen was venting on the phone. Her nervous voice sounded like she had a lump in her throat. “You have no idea what it means.” 

“Hey, you have to calm down a little, ok?” Blake was calm, even though he was on the phone when he wasn’t supposed to be. He could never ignore her desperate text message about something that happened in Hope’s school, even though he was in the middle of work. Plus, he was worried too. “What did she do? What did they do to her?” 

“She punched a kid in the face.” She told him, her voice going one tone higher. She had been pacing back and forth in the school’s hallway for long minutes now, and just didn’t seem to be able to stop, or to actually let the occurrence sink in. “She actually ripped a little girls lip with her fist. Can you believe that? This is all my fault.”

“Gwen, stop.” Blake could hear in her breathing that she was tired and overwhelmed and still couldn’t stop moving. “She’s a child. She did it because they are terrorizing the hell out of her for months now. The school should have dealt with it and they didn’t. It’s all their fault.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Gwen let out a long and tired sigh. She couldn’t even think straight at that moment. “I will have to sit with her teacher and the principal now and tell them I let my daughter watch while her father beat the life out of me in many different occasions.” She lowered her voice to a very low whisper that only Blake could hear. “And then, hopefully they won’t expel her.”

He stopped and thought about what to say before saying anything. He would still get really angry every time he remembered that man and what he had done to her. Even though they were together now and she seemed happy and safe. While he was just taking a deep breath to prepare himself to whatever turn that conversation would take, his phone vibrated on his ear and he put it down to look at the text that he had just gotten. 

_I’ve got your last Hope._ — It said. The number was unknown, but not private, and the area code caught his attention more than anything else. 714. California. “Hey, Gwen, are you with Hope?” 

“What?” She got a bit confused with the sudden out of context question. “No, your mom took her home, I’ll still be here for a while. Why?”

“My mom?” Blake suddenly started to panic. “Ok, I will call you right back.”

“What? Why?” Gwen wasn’t naive, she noticed the change in his voice tone. “Blake, what is happening?”

“I just need to call her first, ok? I don’t want to scare you.” He said.

“You’re scaring me anyway.”

“I promise I will call you in a second. Just sit down and calm down.” He tried once more, faking his voice tone so he wouldn’t sound so scared. “I got to go.” And he hung up.

Blake’s hands were shaking when he ran his finger through the recent calls list on his phone and found his mom there. And he pressed to call.

“Hey, Blake. Is everything ok?” She picked up. Her voice had an ordinary tone, he noticed. She knew that a call in the middle of his work shift wasn’t normal.

“Yes.” Blake sighed with relief. “Is everything ok over there? How’s Hope?”

“She’s fine, she’s taking a little nap.” His mother's voice quickly became very maternal and careful. “The poor little baby had a terrible day, I’m baking a cake for her to have after dinner. Gwen is having a hard day too, you should call her.”

“I was just talking to her.” He said, his heart rate going back down as he was finally calming himself. “Can you go check on her really quick?”

“On Hope?” Dorothy started to notice that was not just a routine call, so she wasn’t going to argue with him. “Yes, my love, she’s sleeping right here on the couch and—” She suddenly stopped talking and started to desperately look around. 

“Mom?” Blake’s heart was beating loud and painful again. 

“Blake.” Dorothy gasped. “Come home now. She’s not here. The front door is wide open and I don’t know where she is.” She stopped talking to breathe some air in. The confusion and uncertainty hurt her like physical pain. “Blake, I think someone took her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh nooooooooo. Now what? Hahaha


	11. Stonewoods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve never been so hated on because of a cliffhanger HAHAHAHA  
> I’m here to save you guys with the rest of the story so you don’t kill me. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Can we start from the beginning?” The police officer paused his voice recorder and deeply sighed. The sky was already dark and they were standing outside of the white house at the end of the Little Swamp Lane for more than five whole hours. “You were at the elementary school together and Dorothy left with the girl. What happened then?”

“We got home and she was really sleepy. She had a tough school day, so I let her take a nap on the couch.” Dorothy explained again, repeating herself for the third time at least. “She laid down and was sleeping in a matter of 5 minutes. I went to the kitchen to bake her a cake. She loves chocolate cake and I thought she would love to eat a piece after dinner. I thought maybe it would cheer her up.” She kept going with her part of the story, even though she could hear Gwen crying in the corner. “Two big glass doors open from the kitchen to the living room and these doors are always open in our house. It’s like we have an open kitchen. It wasn’t different today, the doors were open and I didn’t hear anything.”

“You didn’t hear the front door opening?” He asked. It was also the third time. 

“No, I didn’t.” She confirmed once more. “But I heard my phone, because Blake was calling. I picked up and he asked me to check on Hope.” Dorothy looked at Blake and sighed. “Then she wasn’t there anymore, and the door was wide open.” 

“And she’s a sleepwalker?” The police officer wanted a confirmation again. “She has done it many times, right? Just getting up and leaving?”

Gwen tried to hold, but her sobbing got worse with that repetitive question. It felt like an endless cycle that wouldn’t get anywhere and it was frustrating her more and more by the second. Blake’s arms tightened around her. “You’re not helping, Matt. We should be out there looking for her and that’s what you should be doing too. My mom didn’t do anything to Hope, Gwen didn’t do anything to her daughter. Stop questioning them over and over again like they are the suspects here.” 

“Blake, can I talk to you?” Matthew, the policeman, asked. He had known Blake since they were both really young, and he thought that if anyone was a little more sane there, that person was probably his tall childhood friend. 

Blake let go of Gwen slowly, afraid she was going to collapse if he wasn’t holding her. She had been desperately crying since she got home and they told her Hope was missing. He knew she was blaming herself again, and Dorothy was also blaming herself, so they were both not the best people to look for Hope or understand whatever it was that the police was trying to do there.  
Gwen just watched as the two men walked inside the house. She knew that whatever it was, Blake would tell her later, probably when she was better and with her daughter again, because at the moment she just wasn’t in her right mind. 

“I’m so sorry.” She heard Dorothy whimpering again and her desperate apology soon turned into a low cry. 

“It’s not your fault, Dot. This wasn’t you.” Gwen’s weak voice said, as she was approaching the woman sitting on the white swing on the front porch. She sat right by her and they quickly embraced each other. 

Gwen had never told Dorothy about Hope’s father, and she knew Blake didn’t either, but she always had a feeling that the woman knew somehow. Dot was a very warm, thoughtful and caring person, she always had a kind word for anyone who needed and she treated Gwen and Hope like they were family since day one. She didn’t even know who they were then, and still didn’t now. Dorothy would never do Hope any harm, she loved that little girl as if she was hers too. 

“I should’ve stayed with her, but I was baking a cake.” Blake’s mom cried. “I shouldn’t be in the kitchen, I should’ve stayed with her.” Even though Gwen was hugging her and obviously didn’t think she was to blame, Dorothy would never forgive herself if anything bad happened to Hope.

“You were with her.” Gwen said. She was still crying too. “I wasn’t. And the last thing I said to her was that I was really mad at her.” She sobbed, her chest was hurting as if her heart was physically broken into a million pieces. “I told her we would talk at home. She never really got to tell me her reasons, I didn’t want to listen to her. And when I got home she just wasn’t here anymore.” 

“I’m so sorry.” Dot tightened her arms around Gwen’s body. One of her hands went up to caress her face like a mother consoling her child after a bad nightmare. She couldn’t even imagine what she was going through in that moment, but she recognized the first signs of a really sad, tired and really scared person: She was rethinking everything she did right before Hope disappeared and probably was haunted by the possibility of never seeing her baby girl again. Dorothy remembered feeling like that when Blake’s father died. “We will find her. We will never stop looking. You will be with her soon.”

Gwen just nodded, the tears were streaming down her face without any more filters. The pain of missing someone she loved more than anything or anyone was overwhelming and it would not leave her alone. It was as if a part of her was missing and her heart had a permanent damage from it, a malfunction. It was beating and pumping blood to the rest of her body, but it wasn't alive. It would never be alive again without Hope. 

Inside of the house, Blake and Matthew went straight to the kitchen, as far away as they could go from the front porch. 

“Blake you are the one who is not helping and I really need your help right now.” The police officer said. “I need to ask those questions a million times if necessary. Every single person in this town is out there looking for this little girl. The sheriff himself is out there with a plan and all his trained men. I need to stay here and you need to stay here with me and let me do my job.” He said. “You don’t believe that girl just left home sleepwalking, do you?”

“No. Not for a second. Someone took her.” Blake didn’t even have to think before answering that. “But you’re just harassing them, man, and they’re losing faith in whatever you’re doing. Ask the right questions then.” He was starting to get mad, even though he knew that what Matthew said was true and everybody was out looking for Hope in the woods and downtown. “Do you want to know who I think has Hope? I think Barbara does. Didn’t you hear about the scene she made in the restaurant when Gwen quit? She said she was going to make her life a living hell.” 

“We already checked her, Blake. Her house is clear, Country Inn is clear. She is out there helping the search.” Matthew told him. “Do you know how many children went missing in Humberstone since the police department was installed?” Blake shook his head. “Three, Blake. This never happens here. It has never happened since I’ve been a cop. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that your girlfriend’s daughter is missing. I think this has to do with the fact that they’re not from here.” 

“What do you mean?” Blake frowned when he looked at him. “Do you think people from here are crazy enough to hurt a little girl because she was born outside of this town? What kind of human being does this?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. Yes, it could be it, because witnesses from the situation with Barbara in the restaurant said that she told people they couldn’t trust outsiders and that’s something you know that has been in Humberstone’s culture forever. We don’t trust people from outside.” Matthew shrugged. “But that’s bullshit. Not trusting them is different than hurting a child. I think this could go deeper.”

“Deeper like what? Like Dave Harris?” Blake asked, but already assuming that was the right answer. 

“Dave Harris? The other little girl’s father?” Matthew was soon putting the pieces together. “No, we looked into him and his wife too. For the love of God, Blake, Dave went to school with you.”

“So what? Hope punched his daughter’s face in school today. I don’t know, I would be pretty mad.” Blake sighed. “I’m pretty mad right now, actually. You have to do something, Matthew. We want her back home and safe.”

“I’m doing something.” Matthew also sighed, but he was still patiently thinking.

“What about Ashley? Did you look into Ashley today?” That was Blake’s last shot. Even though he hated to present that as a possibility. 

“Really? Ashley? You’re really going to throw Ashley under the bus?” Matthew shook his head. “When I said it’s probably deeper, I meant before Humberstone. How much do you know about Gwen’s life before she got here?” 

Blake froze. That question was a little delicate because, as much as he thought he should tell everything he knew that could help, Gwen had asked him, before the police arrived, not to mention George yet. He wasn’t sure why, they didn’t have time to sit and talk about this, but he was going to respect that. “I don’t know much. It doesn’t matter.”

“See Blake, I know you just lied to me.” Matthew sighed. “Not just because I’m a cop and I’m trained for pointing that out, but because I’ve known you forever.” He said, still looking for any reactions from the other one. “If you don’t want to help, that’s fine, but let me tell you, there’s no sign of a struggle here, this child knows who took her. Most children are abducted by family members and parents. It would help knowing who her father is and where he is at in his relationship with his daughter and her mother.”

“There’s no relationship.” That was all Blake said.

“Fine, but if he’s the father and there’s no court order or custody, it is perfectly legal for him to take the child anytime. It’s not even considered kidnapping.” Matthew explained, still trying to get into Blake’s head so his job would be easier. He needed that, because right now he wasn’t getting anywhere in that investigation. “If she’s married to him and she took the child in the first place, maybe it’s even worse for her. I’m not going to lie.” 

“What if he did something bad to both of them?” Blake was finally cracking, even though he knew he shouldn’t. 

“I don’t know. Like what?” Matthew asked, as if it was just a conversation between two friends and not in a police officer tone. “Tell me more about it.”

It wasn’t enough to fool Blake, though. “I will talk to Gwen, maybe she can talk to you about this.”

“I think she should, Blake, honestly.” The police man insisted, but Blake was already leaving. He didn’t have much time to spare. He had heard once that the first 24 hours on a missing person’s case were crucial, so he wanted to make every second count.

He went back to the front porch and found Gwen and his mom sitting together on the little swing he built years ago, before his father died. Dorothy looked at him with a sad face, but Gwen didn’t even look up, she had her eyes ahead, at the edge of the Stonewoods. Some people were over there, looking for Hope. They could see the flashlights and hear them yelling her name from the porch. Meanwhile, they couldn’t leave and they couldn’t help. She felt like a failure.

“Hey.” He bent down in front of her, resting his hands on her knees. Gwen's face was all wet, her eyes were red and swollen from crying, it seemed like she could barely focus on Blake. He touched her face, and ran his fingers under her eyes, brushing her tears away. “Can I talk to you for a second?” He softly asked, trying to be as careful as he could be with her. She was already falling apart. 

Gwen nodded and Blake helped her up. They went inside too, but Matthew got back outside to stay with Dorothy as soon as he saw them in there. If Blake could convince her to talk to the police, maybe Matthew would have better results and a better chance to find Hope.  
They sat on the living room couch together and he held her hand before saying anything. Gwen sighed when she lift her eyes to look at him. Her face contorted and in a split second she was crying again. It broke Blake’s heart, like it has been doing over and over again since Hope vanished. He held her tightly and in silence, feeling her body shaking violently as she desperately cried in his arms, the realization that she might never see her daughter again was slowly sinking in and it was killing her. She might as well just die. She would rather die. 

Blake waited until she was silent again. Her body wasn’t shaking anymore, but she was still sniffling and sobbing. And there was not a single word he could say that would make it better. He would never be able to make it better. “Matthew thinks the police should know everything there is to know.” He told her, calmly in a whisper. His hand caressing her back. “Don’t you think we should talk about George and the text message I got on my phone?” 

He was trying to be as sensible as he could be, but Gwen let go of the hug and lifted her head to look at him. “Did you tell him anything?”

“No, I didn’t tell him anything. I’m asking you if you don’t think it would be better to talk to him about it.” Blake was still calm and patient. He knew it was a terrible time for that conversation, she wasn’t her best self and probably wasn’t even thinking straight, but they didn’t have much time, Hope was already missing for more than 5 hours. “In case George took her.”

“He took her.” She cried again, feeling the despair run through her body like it was blood in her veins. “I know he did.”

“Then we should definitely tell Matthew about him.” Blake insisted. He was also desperate and really worried, and that communication problem didn’t seem to make any sense to him. “At least the text message, he needs to see it.”

“Blake, if he knows we talked to the police, he will be furious and I will never see Hope again.” Gwen sighed. She had no strength to fight or yell. She was too weak. But there was no point in fighting Blake anyway, she knew he was on her side and they were in it together. “This is his game, if we talk to the police, we’re not playing by his rules anymore.” 

“What if there’s a possibility that it wasn’t him?” He asked, even though he knew he was risking to make the situation worse. Since the first second, Gwen seemed to be sure that George was the one who had taken Hope and nothing could change her mind. But she wasn’t telling the police about him, which was completely nullifying their involvement in that matter.

“What? What are you saying?” She got really confused, but her head hurt just by trying to think about it. 

“Matthew said they went to Barbara’s house and the inn. As soon as Hope vanished, some people told the police what happened at the restaurant that day and they are investigating her.” Blake told her. “They also looked into Hope’s classmate’s parents. The one she punched today.”

“Do you think Barbara would do that?” Gwen was shocked. She could never imagine someone taking a child away from her mother because of something shallow like the end of other people’s relationship. But Barbara never liked her, even before she had anything to do with Blake. “No, I don’t think she would do that. Neither would the parents.” She answered her own question.

“We don’t know, we have to explore all the possibilities right now.” He said. “What about the sleepwalking thing? Do you think she could have left while sleeping?”

“I don’t think she has ever opened a door while sleeping, but doctors say it’s possible.” She really couldn’t tell and that conversation was making her even more anxious. 

“I don’t think she could’ve. I saw her that day in the kitchen. She hit the door many times with her head. She never even reached up to try to open it.” Blake was really thinking of all the possibilities and excluding what didn't seem to make sense to him.

“Please, stop.” Gwen closed her eyes and sighed deeply. It was as if her head would explode anytime soon. 

He then realized he was going way too fast for her. She wasn’t interested in theories or conspiracy, she missed her daughter and was terrified. “I’m sorry.” He leaned forward to softly kissed her forehead. “Should we tell Matthew about the text message then?” He insisted one last time because he really believed it was the right thing to be done. 

“No.” She repeated herself. “Please, Blake? I can’t think about this right now, my head is hurting. If I’m going to talk about this, I need time to think.” She took her hands to her own forehead and went right back to crying, hiding her face in her palms. The warm tears streaming down her face with ease, like they knew their way pretty well. “If he has her, I’m just praying he’s just trying to scare me. I need her back, Blake. I need my baby back.” And she leaned her body forward, against his. Blake’s arms were ready to wrap around her and they took her in like she belonged in there with him. 

Her crying was hurting him and every inch of his body was aching with the urge he felt to protect her and to do something that would make her feel better. But he knew he couldn’t. Right at the moment, all he could do was hold her, and it was exactly what he was doing. He would do it forever if she needed him to. He would never let go. 

And as if someone was listening behind the door and waiting for the right moment, a strange agitation took place on the front porch and Blake and Gwen lifted their faces and became more attentive, even though they were still sitting on the couch and embracing each other. 

Matthew opened the door, but only stuck his head inside. “Blake, come here.”

They immediately stood up. Blake's fingers were intertwined with Gwen's and he guided her slowly outside, passing through the door. There they found themselves in the middle of many other people, all speaking at the same time and none making any sense. None of those townspeople were there before.

“Ok, stop.” The police officer had to take his voice a tone above everybody else’s, so he would be heard and people would stop talking at the same time. “I need one person to speak, and one person only.”

A white, bald, burly man stepped forward and the rest of them were silent. “They found the girl.” He said.

“What?” Matthew was taken by surprised.

Gwen’s body almost collapsed, but Blake noticed early enough to hold her by her waist and pull her against his own body. 

“Where’s she now?” He asked anxiously, barely being able to contain his excitement. Dorothy was soon standing right next to them too.

“They are bringing her here. She was lying inside of an old boat that was tied up in one of the lake’s dock.” The guy explained. “She was sleeping.” 

“They found the girl, chief.” Matthew was talking in the police radio. “Or so it seems.”

“Which dock?” Blake asked, interested in why she wasn’t found quicker if she was lying somewhere the whole time.

“This one close by. Just a little further south.” The man told him. 

Blake looked at Matthew like he was to blame. That lake’s dock was less than a simple 20 minutes walk from his house. If they were allowed to help, he would’ve checked there. “Don’t look at me like this, Blake, I checked there when we got here and they were checking the house. She wasn’t there. She must really have been sleepwalking and changing places, or she had a very brave kidnapper who risked everything to enter an area full of police and people looking for her just to lie her there.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Blake just wrapped his arms better around Gwen. “They found her. It will be ok.” He told her, planting many hopeful pecks on her forehead and the side of her face. But she wouldn’t believe it. Not until she could see Hope. 

Then more people started to come out from the woods. People of every color, size, age and beliefs. Adults, elderly and children. Men and women, they were all out there looking for Hope. It was almost 10 o’clock on a very cold late fall evening, but none of them gave up. 

Behind everybody else, a man got out of the dark Stonewoods holding a sleeping child. He was tall and had black skin. The woman by his side was tall and slim too, and she was holding the mans arm like she needed it for support. When Gwen's eyes focused on the child that he was carrying, she almost collapsed again. Even though her face was hidden, she knew that golden wavy hair, she knew the pink velvet coat with white polka dots, and she knew the sparkly black cowgirl boots as well. It was her daughter, it had to be Hope. 

“Hope!” She cried and let go of Blake to run to the couple that found her. 

The man let her get really close and then he moved the girl from her position so the mother could see her daughter’s face and confirm it was really her. She didn’t have to say anything to confirm Hopes identity, just the way she ran faster and took the little girl into her arms before anyone could tell her not to do that, said everything. “Thank you.” She whispered in between sobs. She was talking to the couple who found her daughter, but she actually wanted to thank everyone who looked for her. She was so grateful to have her baby back in her arms. 

Gwen didn’t know who the man was, she didn’t know many of those people who were staring at her at the moment, but they knew her. She was the new girl, the mysterious woman without a past. The one who half the town would whisper about. And that night she was also the mother who lost her child. But she got her back. Nothing else in the world mattered. 

Gwen hugged Hope and kissed her as if they didn’t see each other for months. She missed her like she had been gone for years. 

“We have a confirmation.” Matthew was talking on the radio again. “Someone found the girl.”

Hope was in Gwen’s arms and Blake and Dorothy were right next to them before she knew. She didn’t seem to be hurt, but something wasn’t right either. “Why won’t she wake up?” Her mother held the girl’s face, shook her a little, called her name and even tried to sit her up, but besides a few groaning and some low sighs, the girl had no reaction at all. Often her eyelashes floated slightly, as if she was going to open her eyes, but she soon would sigh and relax her face again, as if she was too tired to wake up. 

Matthew got closer to quickly examine her. He took his hand to her forehead, measuring her temperature, and then to her neck , to feel her pulse. Then he got his face close to hers and examined the air way and her breathing. “I think she’s drugged.” He finally said, and proceeded to use his police radio. “I need an ambulance on 33 Little Swamp Lane.” 

Gwen tightened her arms around her daughter. She had a panicky and desperate look in her eyes again, and the most scaring thing was knowing that there was nothing else she could do in that moment, other then hold Hope and pray that she would be ok. At least she had her in her arms again. 

  


***

  


Hope was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Gwen did not leave her side and Blake wouldn’t leave any of them alone, not even for a second. They got there and the little girl was seen by a doctor right away. Doctor Pilar Gonzales, a kind, curvy older woman with long straight salt and pepper hair and green eyes. She was friendly and attentive since the very first second and it seemed like she already knew everything that had happened to Hope before they even got there. The hospital was not very busy and they patiently waited outside the exam door while Gwen and Hope were inside. 

By the time they finished doing the necessary exams, the waiting room was filled with people. Blake, Dorothy, Kelly, Alicia — the teacher — and her husband, Matthew, other police officers and some news people too. It was too many people in a small hospital waiting room, so the police got rid of half of them right before Gwen came out. She told her friends that Hope was ok and that she would get to go home in the morning, but didn’t give any more details until everybody left and Blake, Dorothy and Matthew were the only ones there. 

“What did the doctor really say?” Blake asked before anyone else. 

Even though Gwen didn’t want to say anything else in front of Matthew either, she knew there was no point in hiding, he was the police officer on the case and the doctors would have to tell him everything later. “She is fine, she’s just sleepy. She was definitely not alone, someone gave her lots of sleeping pills. They want to keep her here until the morning just so they can keep an eye on her, but she should be fine.” 

“What did they do to her?” Dorothy asked, but she was really afraid of what might be the answer to that question.

“Nothing.” Gwen answered. “They didn’t touch her in any way. She’s not hurt at all, not even a scratch. The doctors think they used the sleeping medicine so she would keep quiet.” 

The mood in the hospital hall became lighter with that answer. Everyone was very concerned, even the policeman, and now that they knew the girl was fine, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief, even though nobody understood exactly what happened that night, besides Blake and Gwen. 

“Is she awake now?” Matthew asked. “I could ask her some questions. Maybe she could lead us to whoever did this to her.”

“She’s awake, but really confused.” Gwen said. She kept looking inside the room through the squared glass on the door, as if Hope could disappear again if she wasn’t looking. “You can ask her questions, but just for a little while. The doctors want her to sleep it off.” She told the police officer. She still couldn’t completely trust him. “And you guys.” She looked at Blake and Dot. “She really wants to see you, she’s been asking for you.” 

“I really want to see her too. Can we go in?” Blake asked, already smiling. A heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders and he felt like he could finally breathe again. Their little girl was back and she would be ok.

“Sure.” Gwen knocked at the door and opened it, stepping back so Dorothy and Blake could go inside first. “Look who’s here, baby.” She told Hope. 

Blake went in before anyone else, but his mom stopped at the door. Dorothy wrapped her arms around Gwen for a quick but very tight hug. All the attention would be on Hope now, but she wanted to make sure someone was still lifting Gwen’s mood, taking care of her and letting her know she was appreciated and loved too. That night she needed it more than any other day. “You’re an amazing mother, so strong and so loving. I told you she would be with you soon.” She told her. As a mother, Dorothy knew that day would leave a scar on Gwen's heart forever. 

As soon as she heard Blake's mother's words, Gwen felt her heart sink and tighten as if somebody had crushed it. She didn't feel like a good mother, but she desperately wanted to be able to give her daughter her best. “I’m trying really hard.” She confessed, letting a painful and tired sigh escape through her lips. She was still in pain, but for some reason she couldn't cry anymore, it was as if her tears had dried up. 

“I know, my love.” Dorothy coped her face with her two hands and placed a kiss on her forehead. “That’s the hardest job you will have in your life. Trying to keep them safe is not easy, sometimes it’s not even possible, but we keep trying don’t we? At least you’re not alone anymore.” 

“At least I’m not alone anymore.” Gwen looked inside of the room and right at Blake, who was already sitting on the edge of the bed and holding Hope in a tight hug, looking as emotional as she was while looking at them. She really wasn’t alone, she had Blake and Dorothy, and Hope had them too. They would be ok. 

She almost got too distracted, but not enough to let Matthew get in without taking the opportunity to talk to him alone. “You wait.” She said, stretching her arm to block his path.

Matthew stopped and looked at her. “What happened?" He seemed confused.

“I want you to stop trying to get into Blake’s head. I know what you did today and I don’t know what you want with this, but I don’t like it.” Gwen said at once, assuming a serious and even somewhat threatening voice tone. “Stop asking questions about me and my life to other people. Ask me if you want to know something and then I can decide if you should know about it or not.” 

“I was trying to help.” Matthew said. He was caught off guard and by surprise, but he wasn’t intimidated. “This past life will catch up to you sooner or later and it’s not just about you and your daughter anymore, it’s going to affect Blake and his very nice mother and these are people the whole town love.” He raised his eyebrows, thinking the point was really clear there, but explained it anyway. “If you want us on your side, you have to protect them. Think about it, the best way to protect them right now is to leave them.”

He tried to walk in the room again, but she blocked the door even more. “I’m not leaving, you are.” 

“What?” Matthew didn’t seem to understand. “But you just said—”

“I know what I said. But I’m saying something else now. You’re not staying, you’re not asking her any questions, I want you out of here.” She was firm and it was clear that nothing would change her decision at that moment. “Blake and Dorothy are my family too. You don’t get to come here and tell me I have to leave them. Who even are you?”

“The biggest problem is that you don’t know.” Matthew shook his head. “I will talk to the doctors, I will be around. Don't forget that I just want to help.”

“I don’t need your help.” Gwen snarled at him, already tired of that conversation.

“Maybe you don’t, but they do.” He indicated Blake and Dorothy with his head. “Like I said, I will be around.” And Matthew turned around to leave.

“You’re wasting your time.” She said before he was far enough to be unable to hear. 

  


***

  


Dorothy went home as soon as Hope went back to sleep, but Gwen and Blake spent the night at the hospital with her, sharing the spare bed in the room. She slept because she was physically and emotionally exhausted, but he didn’t sleep at all. Blake felt like something bad would happen every time he tried to close his eyes, so he opened them again and watched his girls sleeping for the rest of the night. He just couldn’t picture his life without them anymore, and after what happened that night, he also couldn’t deny they were all in danger. It was worse than he thought it could be and it wasn’t just someone trying to scare them with flowers and notes anymore, it was serious. Someone got into his house and took Hope for a whole night. They had to fight back now. 

The morning was still dark and cold, but at least Hope woke up full of energy and ready to go home. 

“How did you leave home yesterday?” Gwen asked her. The doctors said she should ask questions and test the girl’s memory, because she would probably still be confused, but should be remembering everything soon, or at least everything before she took the pills.

“I left home to go to school. You took me to school.” Hope answered and quickly changed the subject. “Can I have hospital chocolate pudding?” The little girl asked as her mom was trying to feed her another spoon of cereal and milk. “Please, I don’t want this anymore.” 

“Just a little more, baby, please. You’re not going to eat pudding if you don’t eat your cereal.” Gwen insisted. “Now, do you remember what happened in school?”

Hope stopped to think for a second. “Emmaline Harris called me ugly and pulled my hair, so I punched her in the face.” She said it energetically, but soon realized she should be ashamed of that. “Sorry, mommy. I tried asking her to stop, but she hates me.” 

“No, she doesn’t hate you. It’s impossible to hate you, baby girl.” Blake said, getting close to the bed so he could stroke the girl's hair. He was packing her things so they could leave the hospital. He missed work that morning and would probably hear a lot about it later, from his boss, but he couldn't be anywhere else at that moment. His heart was right there.

“But she does. She’s always hated me. I don’t know why, I’ve never done anything to her.” Hope crossed her arms over her body, opening her mouth to eat another spoon of her breakfast. “She’s just a bitch.” She said, with her mouth full of cereal and milk.

“What did you say?” Gwen’s eyes widened. Blake almost suffocated trying to hold a loud laugh. “Don’t ever say that word again.” 

“Well, she’s back to normal.” He said, but Gwen shot him an unhappy look. 

“What about after school, remember?” She asked her daughter, finally taking the cereal away and getting the chocolate pudding out. “You went home with Dorothy.”

“I took a nap on the couch and then I ate a cupcake in the woods…” Her speaking got really slow as she was trying to make up her own words. She wrinkled her nose and forehead, and it was clear that Hope was still very confused. Her words didn’t make any sense and she knew it. “I don’t know, mommy. Did I sleep too much?”

“A little, baby. But it’s ok, you don’t have to remember anything right now.” Gwen opened the pudding container and gave it to Hope with a plastic spoon. Then she kissed her forehead and stood up.

“Ah, daddy was there.” Hope said, as if she was remembering it as she was speaking. “Daddy gave me a cupcake in the woods. I ate it and I got really tired.” Gwen felt her legs weaken, so she sat back on the hospital bed. Blake approached her fast, holding her shoulders. “Did you check my backpack? He said you should check it.” Hope kept saying, even though she was way more interested in the pudding she was eating.

Blake and Gwen exchanged a worrying look. “Did she have a backpack yesterday?” He asked. 

“Yes.” She confirmed. “The blue one.” 

Gwen stood up again and they both left Hope to look in the backpack. Blake was the one who got the bag in his hands and opened the zipper. It was a small backpack and all Hope used to carry there was her colored pencils, a small notebook to draw on and candy, but the girl’s belongings weren’t there. Instead, Blake found a perfectly folded piece of paper and a branch of a white round flower. 

“That’s a Baby’s Breath.” Gwen told Blake, talking about the dainty white flower in his hand. “It symbolizes everlasting true love.”

“Is he really talking about loving Hope after what he did to her?” They were whispering to each other, so the girl wouldn't hear. She was still distracted with her chocolate pudding. “For God’s sake, he drugged her.”

“No, Blake.” Gwen looked at him, her eyes were fearful and wide again. “I don’t think he’s talking about her. I think he’s talking about us.” She said, and quickly grabbed the white piece of paper he left them and started to unfold it.

With a startled expression, Gwen read the note silently and her eyes widened even more at the end. Blake waited for her to say something, but she just looked at him as if she was about to fall apart again. "Blake, I don’t feel so well." She said, and he wrapped his arms around her to support her. She immediately sobbed and hid her face in his chest, starting to cry softly so Hope wouldn’t hear. 

Blake took the note from her hand, unwrapping it to read it. The capital letters had been scribbled in a hurry. The message left was more like a warning or a threat, and he could finally understand what had scared her so much. The note was for her, but it wasn’t about her. It was about him:

_He knows too much. He’s next._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you’re thinking? (Theories and thoughts are very well appreciated lol)


	12. Exit 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys, things are getting intense, so fasten your seatbelts. We are getting on the troubled road and there’s no coming back. Sorry.

“Chin up.” Blake warned again. Gwen rolled her eyes, but lifted her head. “Focus on the vulnerable spots I told you about. Remember? Eyes, nose, throat, and his dick.” 

“Hm, I like the last one. I can just focus on the last one?” She asked, teasing him again. 

He had been trying to teach her how to defend herself, so she would be able to catch George off guard if he tried anything against her. Blake wasn’t letting the quiet and the silence fool him, he knew the man was around and was tired of just waiting for him to attack before they react. 

Gwen was normally a very good and fast learner — she was perfectly in shape too — but she just wasn’t able to focus that night. 

They were up in the Hill farm again, using the half burned barn as their training ground. They were doing that every friday night now. It was either that or a date night, sometimes both. The space was just an empty dirty old barn, made of some strong wood that still stood, even though it was half burned since the revolution. There was nothing there besides some old hay spread across the floor, but it was a big private space since nobody explored those hills anymore. 

It was already night, and it was very cold in mid December, but they were both sweating from the physical effort. Her coat was on the floor, she had leggings and an undershirt on. Her hair was up in a ponytail. He still had his work clothes on — jeans and a flannel shirt that was already unbuttoned by that point. The walls around them were still solid, but the ceiling had a big hole in it. They could see the dark navy sky and the gray thick clouds on it. No stars, no moon, just darkness. 

“You always have to aim these vulnerable spots.” Blake said, swinging his body again as she tried to strike him with her right fist. “You’re too slow. I can almost see your head thinking.” He approached her as she stopped to listen to him and grabbed one of her arms, quickly, but carefully twisting it on her back. “Don’t get distracted. Don’t trust anyone.”

Gwen groaned in frustration, which made Blake laugh. Slowly he let go of her arm and planted a kiss on her neck. She took that opportunity to turn around fast, balancing her weight well to lift one of her legs and hit his inner thigh with her knee. “It could’ve been your dick.” She said. 

He laughed again and held her thigh that was still up in between his legs, digging the tip of his fingers in the thin fabric of her leggings. “Good one.” He praised her. She lifted her face and her lips brushed his, right before he backed up. “Focus.” Blake warned. 

She rolled her eyes again. “You’re so mean.” She whined, taking some steps backwards. “But so hot.” That made him laugh another time, but she wasn’t laughing, her eyes stared into his. She could feel hot waves traveling from her lower body up to her head, making her breathing heavier, and it wasn’t about the heat or the physical effort she was making. Something about Blake teaching her how to defend herself, was just too hot. 

Gwen opened her legs a little to stabilize her body before flexing her wrist and reaching for his face. She stopped right before hitting his nose. She was still trying to concentrate, even though all she could think about was his unbuttoned flannel shirt, showing his strong chest. 

“Decent move.” He said, holding her hand so she wouldn’t be able to truly hit his face. “But…” He added right before reaching his leg in between hers and pushing her feet until her legs were too spread for her to be able to balance her weight. “Don’t open your legs like this. Keep them close to each other.” He held her waist and pulled her back up before she lost her footing. 

Before he let go, Gwen bent her arm at the elbow and shifted her weight forward, striking against his neck and throat. She lightly hit him on purpose, and Blake quickly grabbed her wrist to push her arm away. 

“I can beat you if I want.” She said, grabbing his open shirt and pulling him to her. He didn’t lose his balance, but let her get really close this time. Their bodies were hot and when they were close like that, it was impossible to even feel the cold breeze coming from outside the barn. She leaned over and her lips touched his ear lobe. “Show me the bear hug one again.” Gwen whispered to him. 

Blake laughed, but his whole body shudder because of her seductive tone. It was so easy for her to get whatever she wanted from him. “You love that one, don’t you?”

“Show me?” She asked again. Her voice tone was smoky and longing. She then turned her back to him, but still turned her neck to look in his direction. 

“Ok.” He agreed, approaching her back and wrapping his arms around her body, closing them together as if he was hugging her from behind. “If he comes from behind, focus on bending down so you can have some space to escape and this way he won’t be able to lift you.” He said. His chin was resting on her shoulder and he was close enough to her ear that he could just speak using his normal voice tone even though he was behind her. “What do you do now?” Gwen bent forward, like she was supposed to do, but instead of shifting her weight forward and attacking him with her elbows, she just moved her hips and pressed her behind against the front of his jeans, teasing him again. Blake grabbed firmly on her waist. “Stop it.” He warned again, but his voice broke on the last word and it ended up stating that his whole body felt differently from the words that came out of his mouth.

“But I want you now.” She demanded and turned her body around to face him. Her eyes were eating him up. One of her hands swiftly got in his jeans and her fingers closed against his shy, but already existent erection. Her lips hunted for his and she bit his mouth. “I really need you.” She used her low, seductive voice tone to speak into his mouth as she kissed him and sucked on his lower lip.

“What’s wrong with you today?” Blake asked, but he wasn’t really complaining. She didn’t answer, instead, her hand just squeezed his balls and her tongue invaded his mouth urgently. 

Blake groaned. There was no going back. He didn’t really want to stop anymore. To hell with the defense classes, he didn’t even know what he was teaching her anyway. One of his hands held the back of her neck and he pulled her even more to him. His mouth covered hers like he had been hungry for her. She had infected him with lust just by teasing him that way, and saying the things she said. She didn’t have to do much when she wanted him, a simple gesture or a deeper look into his eyes would light up his fire as if she was always holding a match. 

Gwen didn’t waste any time, she climbed him like a tall tree, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms on his neck at the same time. She was so used to him now that it wasn’t experimental and it wasn’t awkward anymore. She could just claim him whenever she wanted him. Oh, and she really wanted him. It was so frequent, as if she was being fed by the pleasure he gave her, and that was all she needed. She had related sex to something bad and uncomfortable for such a long time that it seemed that Blake had woken up a side of her that she no longer remembered she had. When she was drunk in pleasure was when her problems didn’t matter. George didn’t matter, her old life didn’t matter, annoying townspeople didn’t matter. Those were the moments when she was able to just think about him, the things she wanted to do with him and the things she wanted him to do to her. 

She joined their lips again, kissing Blake hard and intensely. Her body rubbing against his as she rocked her hips, greedy for him. She could feel him getting harder and really into it too as his hands travelled to her ass to keep her steady. Fingers digging in the fabric of her leggings again, clutching, exploring, teasing, claiming her as completely his. She loved that. His touch, his desire, his thirsty fingers and mouth. It was all hers. 

Blake walked without really knowing where he was going, until her back hit the half burned wall behind them. He pressed his body against hers, making her moan into his lips. “I will give you what you want.” He said to her, harshly grabbing her undershirt and pulling it over her head to throw it on the dirty floor. He was really turned on now, she could see it in his eyes and she could feel it between her spread legs. Blake was on fire. 

She didn’t want to break their contact, she wanted her mouth in his mouth for the rest of the night, but she stopped for a second so she could get rid of his shirt too, pushing it off his shoulders and arms. She was so hungry for a skin to skin contact that it made her legs weaken when it happened. And his body was burning up as much as hers. 

Blake’s hands were fast to open her bra’s lock and get rid of it too. When he went back to pressing his body against hers, his chest touched her breasts and he brushed softly against them so he could feel her nipples hardening against his skin. Gwen had her eyes closed and her head slightly bent back against the wall. She was so lost in the pleasure of that moment that he took a second to just admire her. Her slightly parted lips, the delicious contorted expression on her face, her messy ponytail, her sweaty neck and shoulders. She was perfect and completely his. He would be content for the rest of his life, as long as he could make that woman feel that much pleasure just by touching her that way.

But soon he was putting her down and making her stand again. She looked at him, confused, until he took his hands to her leggings and pulled them down at once. She took her legs out of them and kicked her sneakers away too, with socks and any other remaining clothes. 

Blake was pulling his pants down too when he saw Gwen kneeling in front of him. That caught him by surprise, but just the sight of her, completely naked, with her knees on the floor, settled down in between his legs, biting her lower lip and staring at him like he was the most desirable thing in the world, made his whole body shudder again. “You’re going to kill me today.” He groaned in anticipation. 

“Hopefully with a lot of pleasure.” She smiled mischievously. Both of her hands held his boxers and she pulled them down just enough for his erection to jump out. Then she stared at his cock as if she was thirsty for him. She let out a long anticipation sigh and then her eyes went right back to his. “You’re all mine” She whispered. “I will show you.” She ran her tongue in between her lips and got them wet, then she leaned forward. 

Blake was watching her and his breathing was getting heavier by the second. His throat made a long husky sound when her tongue touched his tip and she licked it. She started there, but soon she was going down, getting his erection all wet and slobbery, but never breaking the eye contact they were making. Gwen’s lips then wrapped around him, starting at the tip again and then slowly making his cock slide inside her mouth until she had taken his full length. Blake gasped louder and grabbed her ponytail tightly behind her head, trying to control himself so he wouldn’t lose his mind so soon. But she wasn’t going to make it easy for him. She backed up and then slid him inside again, filling her mouth one more time. This time starting to suck him and lick him intensely, sliding him deep in her throat and then out again, between her tight hungry lips.

“Fuck, Gwen—” He groaned, getting rid of her hair tie so he could grab a hand full of her hair and pull. His hips thrust forward, against her face because he just couldn’t hold it anymore. She gagged a little with his sudden movement, and he loved the sound. She dug her nails in the skin of both his legs. Slowly, she backed up, pulling him out again. Her tongue slid skillfully on his tip, licking playfully as she stared into his eyes again. Blake warned her with a look, but her lips moved down, planting kisses throughout his whole length. Suddenly every other thought was drowned out and all he could think about was her warm and wet mouth. He was about to make her stop and pull her up to him when her mouth closed against his cock again. This time he was tightly pressed between her lips, and stayed like that until she sucked him in like she needed to taste every inch of him. The pleasure spun in Blake’s head. “No!” A loud grunt came out from his throat. His body shuddered and he throbbed inside of her mouth, losing control. Instead of stopping, Gwen sucked on him even more intensely, causing him to bust. He pulled her hair and thrusted against her face repeatedly. The hot flood of his climax going straight down her throat as she was sucking him dry.

“You’re so delicious.” When Blake opened his eyes, Gwen was standing back up again.

“You’ll pay for it.” His husky and breathy voice said. His chest was going up and down because of his accelerated breathing. 

“Oh, please, make me pay.” She teased. His hands grabbed her waist and Blake pulled her to him. Her body slammed against his, causing her to gasp.

He kicked his pants and boxers off and the dirty floor was already a mess of clothes and old dried up hay. His body pushed her body until she hit the half burned wall again. Gwen let out a painful and pleasurable whimper when the front of her body slammed against the hard wood. Blake’s lips immediately pressed against her neck, sucking and kissing with urgency. His hand went under her thigh and he pulled one of her legs up, supporting her with his palm against the wall and the curve under her knee hanging over his arm. That way she was nicely open for him. His other hand slid down her waist and hips and kept going until his short fingernails were scratching her inner thighs. 

Gwen’s breathing got heavy. Blake’s erection was rubbing against her ass and his fingers went right in between her legs. She whimpered and gasped, but he just brushed his fingertips on her entrance, teasing and testing her wetness. She was ready for him, he noticed. He closed his mouth against her neck and sucked it until he was sure he would leave a mark on her pale skin. Then, without any other warning, he pushed two finger inside of her. Gwen yelped at first, but it quickly became a long and loud moan, followed by other ones as he stroke slowly and deeply. But he quickly pulled away, making her whine about it. He was just feeling how wet she was, that was all. 

Blake put his arm down and grabbed her waist to turn her around to face him. They were both sweaty and breathy when they stared into each other eyes, but the passionate stare wasn’t held for long. Gwen wrapped one of her legs on his waist, climbing him again, and Blake pulled her other leg up too, so both her feet were off the floor. He was holding under her ass to keep them both stable. 

His body pressed hers hard against the barn’s dirty wall and there was only one thing she wanted more than anything else. “I want you deep and hard inside me.” She pleaded. Her breathy, sexy voice was undeniable. 

“You drive me crazy.” One of his hands slid up on her thigh, fingers clutched her ass, digging into her skin. “I will fuck you right now, right here.”

Gwen moaned. Her lips brushing his. “Fuck me right here.” She whispered into his lips and Blake covered her mouth with his, wildly kissing her, tongues dueling and a burning fire traveling throughout both bodies. 

It wasn’t like Blake had any doubt about what she wanted, but hearing those words coming out of her wishful mouth was very satisfying. He then started to settle himself firmly between her parted legs, grounding his rigid lower body against her and pressing her even more to the wall. Gwen let out a muffled moan into his lips, without stopping kissing him. Blake’s hand held her waist and he pulled her up a little, fixing her position. One of his arm held firmly under her behind to support her, and his other hand went down to hold his cock so he could position it right where he wanted. She felt his tip pressing against her entrance and closed her eyes in anticipation, biting her lower lip. He was watching her as he rubbed himself against her sex, not penetrating her yet, just teasing. He promised she would pay for making him lose all control the way she did. 

Gwen was moaning and she had her head tilted back again, with eyes closed. Blake wanted to hold himself a little more to keep teasing her, but he was struggling to hold the need he had for her. He couldn’t wait any longer, something inside of him was longing for her, wanting to be inside of her. He needed to have her that second or he would go crazy. She was about to beg for him one more time when, without thinking, he thrusted his hips forward to slam hard inside of her at once, turning her plea into a loud scream and making Gwen dig her nails in his shoulder while Blake groaned with pleasure and pain all at the same time. The sound they both made when he stopped moving for a second and throbbed inside of her, completely filling her, was of pure delight. 

Blake pulled back all the way, making Gwen want to cry in disapproval, but soon he was slowly pushing himself inside of her again. This time he wasn’t in a hurry. He savored the feel of her wrapping around him as he entered her. She was wet and tight, perfect to fit around him. She moaned again and again, rocking her hips, bouncing on him, trying to get him deeper inside her. He pressed his lips against hers again, breathing her in, making her moan into his throat. Then his mouth went down her neck and torso until he reached one of her breasts. His lips closed against her nipple and he sucked it into his mouth hungrily. 

“Oh my God, yes.” She breathlessly sighed. “Blake—” and moaned his name as her fingers tangled in his hair. “You’re so fucking hot.” Her hips rocked forward, pressing against his body and making him go deeper inside of her. “Fuck me harder.”

Blake’s strokes sped up. His body started to slam against hers and he was completely driven by his desire. His eyes were closed and his tongue was circling her nipple as he sucked her breast. She was meeting every single one of his thrusts, and the sensation when their bodies would press against each other in the middle made them both groan in satisfaction. 

He started to thrust harshly, cock slamming repeatedly and tightly inside of her. Then the strong flood of his climax weakened his knees, almost making him lose his footing. Their bodies slammed against the wall and Blake shuddered and throbbed while stroking again and again rapidly and hard against her. Gwen felt like she was losing all her senses, she couldn’t hear, she couldn’t smell, she couldn’t see, she could only feel him hard and deep inside of her. Her muscles contorted, her toes curled and she felt the hot wave of pleasure hit her body like a strong and tall tsunami. She screamed with pleasure, feeling her whole body shudder between Blake and the half burned wall. 

In a matter of seconds, all that could be heard was breathless sighs, and irregular breathing. Gwen rested her forehead on Blake’s shoulder and he held her in his arms until she recovered enough of herself to finally stand up again. 

The training session was over. By the time they were done drowning in each other’s pleasure, it was late and the cold was back to touching their naked bodies. Gwen's body was completely covered in chills by the difference in the climate that went from boiling with passion to freezing cold as soon as she was relaxed enough. Blake covered her in kisses right before they got dressed. 

Although the old half burned barn would never be the same after that night, the world went right back to normal and whatever was lost in their minds before, started to matter again, really fast. Maybe they would need to get drunk in each other again soon. At least right there, with the dark thick clouds over their head, they had no witnesses to their love at all.

  


***

  


On an ordinary Tuesday afternoon, winter finally arrived. The thick, dark fog that hovered over Humberstone dispersed, but that didn’t mean the temperature went up, on the contrary, it went way down since the first winter day. It was freezing and the weak rays of sunlight didn’t manage to warm up the small town residents.  
Downtown was still busy, especially with the holidays coming up, but schools were on a break and except for their daily routines, residents did not seem to want to leave their homes and face the freezing weather outside. The roads were not busy, the streets were more empty than usual and the lake lost all its visitors. It was a very cold winter, even colder than normal for that area of Oklahoma.

A snow flurry fell on Christmas Eve. The ground was covered with an icy hoarfrost when they all left home to spend the evening at church together. Dorothy would not spend Christmas Eve anywhere else, plus she really felt like she had a lot to be thankful for that year. Blake was his happy self again and life seemed complete with their two new family members.

Gwen hadn’t been to church in a long time. She remembered her family telling her that her parents were religious people, but after they died, she wasn’t educated to follow the same faith they had, nor did she know what it meant or how strong it could be. But that Christmas Eve, when she stepped foot inside of the little white church in downtown Humberstone, she felt a different energy than any other place in the small town. She also felt really thankful, despite everything bad, because that year she had finally been strong and brave enough to change her life. And the change was overdue. For all she knew, she could’ve been dead already if she didn’t leave, and then Hope would be alone like she was when she was a child. 

Her daughter was sleeping in her arms, chest against her chest, head resting on her shoulder, steady calm breathing and heart. That feeling that the little girl was safe and sound was the best one, that and knowing that no matter what happened to her, now Hope would never be alone anymore.  
Gwen looked around and searched the crowded church until she found Blake with her eyes. He was also looking at her.

Blake would never forget that Christmas Eve. The way he had the most beautiful woman in his arms for the whole curious town to see and whisper about. She was wearing a long red dress, her platinum blonde hair was down and wavy, in the middle of her back, making a perfect contrast to the color of the dress and her bright red lipstick. But although her beauty was extraordinary, it wasn’t the reason why he would never forget that night. On that Christmas Eve, for the first time in Blake’s whole life, he was completely sure of his strong and rare feelings. Just looking at Gwen as she was leaning against the church wall, with Hope sleeping in her arms, he was absolutely certain that he loved her hopelessly. He was sure he wanted to sleep and wake up next to her for the rest of his life. It wasn’t the mystery of her anymore, it wasn’t because she was different from everybody in town, it wasn’t the rush of excitement or the thrill of the flirting stage, and it wasn’t the incredible sex. It was her, he loved her. 

When she turned her head to look at him, he was immediately drawn to her. Blake took the necessary steps to approach her and she smiled at him in silence because the church service was still happening.  
He placed his hand on her lower back and pressed his lips against her left temple, with his other hand caressing Hope’s back.

His feelings for her were hitting him so hard that he felt like crying, but he didn’t. The lump in his throat got tighter, but he swallowed it down while taking a deep breath. Then he was ready to open his mouth and let those three words out. “I love you.” He said, with certainty. 

Gwen was watching the service, but her head turned as soon as she heard him. She knew what it meant and she also knew he wasn’t just saying it without really meaning it. He was feeling it, and his words made her realize she felt something too. “I love you too.” The words escaped her mouth as the butterflies danced in her stomach.

Gwen was the one who ended the small distance between their faces and touched his lips lightly for a kiss. It wasn’t one of those wild kisses they shared when they were alone, it was calm and full of affection. It wasn’t that ‘wanting to start a fire’ kind of kiss. It was the kind of kiss that says out loud that what they felt in that moment would last forever inside of them. 

They didn’t care about the rest of the people in the church service. For the two of them, the world was standing still and they were the only two people there — The only three people, because Hope was still laying on Gwen’s chest and Blake had an arm wrapped around the little girl too. 

In that moment, they were happy and liberated from any chains. They didn’t have to search for anything anymore, they had everything they wanted in each other and the strong sense of freedom and contentment was something neither one had ever experienced in any kind of relationship before. It felt warm and cozy like the heat of the fire in their small living room, on Christmas morning. It was simple. Love was simple like the simple things Gwen used to want in life but thought she couldn’t have. She was finally happy. Blake was up on cloud nine and it couldn’t get any better.

But love also blurred all the other senses. They relaxed. They forgot about the dangers. It seemed like no harm could get to them. 

Love was a treacherous drug.

  


***

  


“I think I just got a job.” Blake heard Gwen say when he picked up. The excited way she said that made him smile on the other end of the phone call, even though she couldn't see it. He put her on speaker, since he was driving, and placed the phone on the seat next to him. He had an old pickup truck and no Bluetooth. 

“A job? How did you manage to do that out of nowhere after looking for more than a month and not finding anything?” He asked. He was getting on the road to go visit a client and present his project to their soon to be remodeled bathrooms. “I didn’t know you had a job interview today.” 

“I didn’t. That is what is so crazy.” She laughed, clearly way more relaxed than she had been since she quit her old job. “I took Hope to school, like I do every morning, and today the principal said she wanted to talk to me. Do you know who she is? Her name is Linda, she’s a nice short, older woman.”

“Yes, I know Linda. I used to go to her house a lot when I was a kid. She and my mom are good friends.” Blake told her. He was speeding up to get on the highway now. His client lived in a neighboring town. 

“Of course you do. You know everybody in this town.” Gwen rolled her eyes, but was still laughing. “Anyway, I thought Hope had done something or said something, but no. One of their teacher’s assistant quit and Alicia recommended me, so she wanted to look at my curriculum and information. I gave her everything she needed and I’m just waiting for a formal call back now, but she really seemed like she liked me and was talking like I had gotten the job already.”

“That is amazing!” He showed her as much excitement as she did before. “We should go out and celebrate. Do you want to eat out? Hope and mom could come too and we could make it a family night.” In the rearview mirror, Blake noticed when that gray Lexus changed lanes quickly, from the middle lane to the one on the right, right behind his truck.

“It sounds really fun, Blakey.” Gwen smiled at her phone. It was impossible to not melt as he referred to them as a family, even though she already knew he felt that way. “Will you be home earlier? I miss you.” She whined. He was still working late and they didn’t have much time to be together during the week. 

“I think I will be able to leave early. I will try my best.” Blake promised. “I miss you too, baby.” He couldn’t help but smile.

“I think I want to sleep with you tonight.” She said, making him laugh softly. Although they were in a relationship and living in the same house, she kept her own room and slept with Hope almost everyday, since her daughter was really used to sleeping with her now and she was afraid to leave her alone most of the time. Sometimes she would spend the whole night with Blake, but had to leave in the morning, before the girl woke up, just so she wasn’t scared, alone in bed. 

He took the exit to his client and the gray car behind followed him. Gwen was still chattering. Blake was now paying attention to the only other car on the road. The windows were so dark that he couldn't even see who was driving it. He turned right and was followed again.

The road was quiet, still no other cars around. A single lane coming and the other one going. A small shoulder on the side, and then only dark green woods around. 

The Lexus sped up, getting really close to the truck and then breaking, making a purposeful loud noise that sent a shiver up Blake's body. He suddenly realized he wasn’t paying any attention to what Gwen was saying anymore. “Hey, can I call you right back?” He asked. Blake was trying to focus his attention on the odd behavior of the other car and he did not want to scare her, but as soon as he noticed that the Lexus had a front license plate from the state of California, he understood he really needed her help. “Gwen, call the police.” He suddenly said, interrupting whatever question she had just asked. “I’m off the highway, exit 56.”

“What’s going on, Blake?” She asked, feeling the color leaving her face as fear settled inside of her. 

“There’s a car following me.” Blake said. It was all he could say. 

As if they could hear the conversation, the car behind him changed lanes and got in the wrong way.  
The Lexus accelerated quickly, reaching the truck’s side. It was still impossible to see who was driving, but Blake focused his eyes as much as he could and thought he saw the silhouette of a man.  
The shiny, expensive car flew to the side and attacked the old pickup truck, hitting straight on its left side. The crash of heavy metal against an even heavier one resulted in a deafening sound, so loud and scary that Blake couldn’t hear anything else anymore. He lost control of the truck and was thrown straight off the road. Gwen screamed on the phone. She had no idea what was happening. The vehicle passed the shoulder and entered the tall grass by the side of the road at high speed. It flipped right away, not once, but three times, until it got to the edge of the woods and the passenger side hit the trees. Blake was thrown around so many times that he had became disoriented even before he suffered the concussion that quickly made him unconscious. And then, everything was dark as silent. 

The truck came to a stop, upside down. The Lexus accelerated and left the crime scene. 

The call was interrupted. Gwen felt dizzy and her legs failed her. She fell on her knees and lost her phone somewhere on the floor. She was in shock for a couple of seconds, couldn’t even breathe, until her lungs hurt and it brought her back to reality. Her right hand groped desperately for the phone around her. The tears blurred her eyes to the point she couldn’t even see anymore. The fear was suffocating, but Blake needed her. When she was finally able to grab her phone, her hands were shaking and it took longer to be able to dial 911. But she did.

Gwen leaned her back against the wall and let the tears stream down her face until someone picked up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t hate on me just yet. Leave me a comment first. :D (happy bday, Blake, sorry.)


	13. Room 115

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are not too mad at me still.  
> But even if you are, we gotta keep going because we have a lot to get to.
> 
> Thank you all for the comments. I love them. Please keep telling me what you think, ok?
> 
> Now follow me.

Gwen didn’t think she would be able to drive all the way there, but she did. She forced herself to do it, because she had no other option. The Humberstone Memorial Hospital had just been remodeled and it looked new and very neat, like it was the cleanest place in the word. She had been there before, not so long ago, when Hope was taken and then found. But this time she was nowhere near the pediatrician wing of the hospital, she was wandering the long corridors of the emergency floor. The walls were in a sad matte beige tone and they looked smooth and fresh as if they were just painted. The floors were simply gray, not a concrete gray, but a dark, shiny gray, like it was often polished. The place had a strong disinfectant smell, like alcohol was impregnated everywhere in its core. Gwen’s stomach was really bothered by that, or maybe it was just the fear, or the lack of information about Blake. 

“Can I help you, miss?” The friendly young girl behind the reception desk finally asked. She was watching for a while as Gwen walked down the long hall. Her slow, disoriented pace was contrasting with the fast rhythm of the emergency wing.

“I-I’m looking for Shelton.” Her shaky, fearful voice said. “Blake Shelton.”

“Oh. Yeah, Blake.” The surprised expression, followed by a melancholic, concerned stare, on her face made Gwen's heart jump and tighten inside her chest. “He’s in the room 115.” She didn’t have to look anywhere to find that out. It was a very small town, she knew Blake. Plus the bad car accident was probably the worst thing to happen in Humberstone since Hope’s disappearance. “If you follow this corridor until the nurse station, you will find the door, but police is guarding it, they won’t let anyone in.” 

“Thank you.” Gwen whispered, too low for the girl to hear. 

That sounded very odd to her, but it didn't take long for her to remember Matthew and the fact that he seemed to be a really good friend of Blake’s. She also didn’t forget how he had insisted on the fact that her past would put his friend in danger. In the end, Matthew was right and he was probably guarding that hospital room like an angry dog, waiting for her.

And she was right about that, at least. As soon as Gwen followed the corridor and turned right at the nurse station, to find the room 115, she spotted three policemen in their uniforms, standing in front of the door. Matthew was among them.

“I can’t believe you had the nerve to actually show up here.” He took the necessary steps to approach her even before she was in front of the door. “You won’t be going in. You will turn around, get your daughter, get in your car and leave this town for good.” He demanded. “We called Dorothy. She is coming to stay with him and that’s all he needs. You can leave.”

Even before he finished what he was saying, the tears were already streaming down Gwen’s face. She felt so guilty, already so regretful, and the cop’s presence and attitude were making it worse. She should’ve listened to him the first time. “Please, let me see him.” She cried.

“Gwen, you did this to him.” Matthew seemed impatient and even though she wanted to point her finger at him for that, she couldn’t. He was protecting Blake better than she ever could, and he was right. “He’s only alive because the police got him out before the truck exploded. You should’ve seen that. You should’ve heard that, and maybe you would understand that you are fucking killing him.”

“I heard it!” Gwen’s voice went a tone up, even though she was still crying. People in the nurse station started to look at them. She turned around and sat on the chair beside the room’s door. Her legs just couldn’t hold her weight anymore, they were still shaking and weak. “I heard it all, he was on the phone with me. I will never forget it.” She sobbed, hiding her face in her palms. 

Matthew stopped for a second, moving from his intimidating position to a more empathetic one. He sat on the chair by her side. “This is serious, Gwen. Somebody tried to kill Blake.” 

“I know.” Her painful cry broke into a loud sob again. “Please, I need to see him. I will leave, but let me see him.” 

It was easy to see in the cop’s face that he was surprised, but he nodded, agreeing to her terms. Gwen stood up then, forcing her legs to work, trying not to fall back in the chair. Her head spun, but she concentrated on her balance and kept going. She brushed the tears off her wet face and grabbed the cold door handle. The other two policemen didn’t even look in her direction, which meant Matthew was in charge there. Then she finally walked in. 

The room looked like just an extension of the hallway. The walls and floors were the same color, the lack of decorations or any kind of personality was the same too and the disinfectant smell was even stronger in there. The room had a big window far ahead and three beds separated by thin, limp curtains. They were all occupied, and Blake’s was the last one, further from the sunlight, but — thankfully — closer to the nurse station.  
She slowly and fearfully walked towards him, afraid of how she would find him. Blake had his eyes closed and was shirtless. His torso was slightly lifted, supported by a stack of thin pillows so that his body was in a sitting position. His head was supported by a thicker pillow. One of his arms was stuck to his chest in a sling that was hanging around his neck. His head had a really bad purple and red bruise on the left side — starting on his forehead and going down his temple to his cheekbones — and he had a bandage around his abdomen, under his chest. His legs were covered under a thin cotton sheet that looked stiff, even though it seemed clean.

“Blakey.” She cried his name. Her heart was hurting and she couldn’t even breathe. Laying there, he was just a number in an institution, he wasn’t home and he wasn’t comfortable. He was alone, hurt and probably cold, but at least he was alive. It was all her fault. She needed to take care of him. 

Blake opened his eyes when he heard her voice calling for him. Even though his face hurt, he smiled at her when his eyes met her face. He had tired eyes, like he had been sleeping for hours, which she knew he hadn’t. He was probably just on medication. “Oh, thank God you’re here. My back is so itchy. These sheets are really bad.” He joked, with a weak voice, but soon he frowned. “Hey, don’t cry. I don’t like when you cry.” 

Her whole body shook violently when she sobbed loudly again. Gwen got closer to him and sat on the chair by his bed. Her two hands held his free right one and she took it to her lips and kissed his fingers as she cried. “I was so scared. I thought I had lost you.” She couldn’t stop sobbing. Blake moved his hand from hers to her face and caressed her cheek as if she was the one in a hospital bed. “I’m so sorry. I love you so much. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself for this, Gwen.” He told her, with a serious face on. He suddenly was way more awake and attentive. “You’re not responsible for his acts. He’s the only one to blame and only God can help him once I’m off this bed. He has done too much already.” 

“It is my fault too.” She said. There was nothing he could say to convince her otherwise. “The only reason why this happened to you is because we’re together.”

“I don’t care. You’re not his pet or his property, or whatever he thinks you are.” His forehead still had a deep wrinkle in the middle. “I don’t give a damn about him, alright? Plus, I’m just fine.” 

Gwen bent forward and rested her head on his legs, lightly first, until she noticed that it didn’t hurt him. His legs were fine. “Where does it hurt?” She asked. She didn’t want to discuss whether that was her fault or not, she already had her mind set on that. “Aren’t you cold without a shirt? They should give you a hospital gown or something.” 

“Are you jealous because the nurses keep looking at me all the time? Cause I’m feeling pretty hot.” Blake’s face softened and he was joking again. It made Gwen laugh. His sense of humor was unaffected. “I broke a rib.” He started telling her. “My shoulder was dislocated, they put it back to its place without any drugs, because I’m that badass.” They laughed together, even though tears were still eventually falling from her eyes. “My left arm is bruised pretty bad, because it kept slamming against the truck’s door. But I’m still here mostly because of my head concussion. They want to keep an eye on it. But I’m fine.” It wasn’t all of it, though. She could see he had some small cuts on his face, neck and hands, and a big one on his other shoulder. Those were all caused by the glass from the broken windows that flew right in his direction. But still, it was a miracle that he was still alive, conscious and cracking jokes. From all possible outcomes, it seemed like Blake got one of the best. “The seatbelt saved my life, but my truck exploded.” He was still caressing her face while he talked, like it was the easiest automatic action ever. His index finger traced circles on her cheek and sometimes he would go towards her neck and up to trace her jawline. 

“I was so scared.” Gwen confessed. Her face contorted again. The pain in her heart was like jammed needles into thin, sensitive skin. It burned sometimes.

Before Blake could say anything to comfort her, the room’s door opened again and Matthew came in, walking straight up to them. Gwen lifted her head. She was sure he was going to make her leave, so her arms wrapped tightly around Blake’s legs, like she was hugging them. 

“They found the car.” Matthew said and then he lifted his phone and turned it to them. 

Gwen was closer, so she took a good look. She didn’t have to analyze too much, though, she knew that gray Lexus too well. “What? That’s my car.”

“Yes.” Matthew confirmed. “The license plate is registered in your name.” He quickly put his phone away. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“It used to be my car.” She said, looking away from him, still unsure about what she should share. 

“That’s it?” The cop got frustrated fast. “You know I could just arrest you right now, right?”

“Hey, what the hell, Matt?” Blake wrinkled his forehead again, but he had to soften it soon after. His whole face was still hurting. “I’m tired of you trying to play the bad cop in this situation. Leave Gwen alone.”

“It’s ok, Blakey.” Gwen caressed his good arm. The last thing she wanted was for him to get stressed because of that. “Matthew thinks he scares me, but he doesn’t. I’ve dealt with worse men than him.” 

“Clearly.” The cop shook his head and sarcastically laughed. 

“Matthew, that is enough.” Blake said, in a warning tone. “I don’t like this conversation at all.”

“That’s alright, because Gwen was about to leave, right?” Matthew stared at her. 

Gwen held his gaze without batting an eye. She really didn't fear him. Calmly, she looked away and when she finally said something, she was looking at Blake and talking to him. “I’m not going anywhere.” She decided. She needed to take care of Blake. 

“You’re a fucking liar.” Matthew snorted, irritably. “I should’ve known."

“Get out, Matt.” It was Blake’s turn to get irritated. “I appreciate what you’re doing for me but I don’t want you here offending her. She’s been through enough.”

“What about you, Blake?” Matthew crossed his arms over his torso. “Look at you, man. You’re in a hospital bed. I haven’t seen you in one of those since you were a little kid. Our small town was a peaceful place and it needs to go back to what it was. She needs to leave.”

“Instead of saying those stupid things and bullying someone, why don’t we all get together to fix the problem we have right now?” Blake had his serious tone back again. “We are acting like 5 year olds in kindergarten here and it’s not helping.” 

“I can’t help her if she won’t talk to me.” The cop exchanged looks between the couple. 

“I don’t trust you!” Gwen stated, with a firm and clear voice tone. 

“Well, I don’t care.” Matthew was also clear. He then looked at Blake. “But I’m insisting because I’m trying to help you and your family. Who do you think is next, Blake? Your mom is probably next.”

“Go to hell, Matthew. Gwen is my family too and I’m going to protect them.” It seemed like Blake had a permanent frown by now. “But I’m a little out of my game here.” He admitted. It was painful to say that out loud, but he needed to. “It would be nice if you could help me. The girls need someone watching over them while I’m in the hospital. I was counting on you because you’re my friend.”

“I won’t help her unless she tells me what she’s afraid of.” The cop said. “I can be a good ally to you, but I need to know who I’m fighting against.”

“No. I won’t talk to you.” Gwen didn’t even have to think about that.

“Damn it, Gwen, you’re so stubborn.” Blake sighed. “Let me talk to her, Matt. Please wait outside.” He asked his friend. 

“Fine.” The policeman threw his hands in the air as if he was giving up. “But she has to talk to me or I’ll make her leave. She said she would.”

“What do you mean by make her leave? If you touch her you’ll have to deal with me.” Blake's peace was completely gone. As much as he was trying to maintain his friendly demeanor and good sense of humor, he was really stressed out by that conversation and that was bad for his already weakened health. He needed peace and rest.

Gwen’s hand caressed his arm again, trying to give him any kind of comfort. “It’s ok, he won’t do anything to me.”

“I will be waiting outside.” The cop informed them right before leaving. 

Blake's good arm moved and his hand touched the empty space on the bed, on his right side, inviting her to join him. Gwen got up and sat on the edge of the hospital bed, then settled down next to his body, snuggling to him and resting her forehead on the curve of his neck. He softly grunted before she settled, because his body was very sore. 

“I think I should be sitting on the chair.” She said in an undertone. 

“No. I want you right here. It’s ok.” He assured. His right arm wrapped around her as he turned his face to kiss her forehead a couple of times, then kept his lips brushing against her skin as he talked. “This is way better than any pain medication.” He breathed her in. Her scent and the fruity smell of her hair. “I’m sorry if I scared you.” 

“I don’t want to lose you and I don’t want to have to leave.” Gwen’s fingers carefully went up his chest, touching his bare skin in between bandages and the sling holding his arm. She caressed his neck and then his face, fixing his hair lastly. “I can’t picture myself without you anymore.” Another confession, this one came from her heart. 

“You don’t have to. I love you.” He tilted his head down when she looked up and their lips lightly touched for a comfort kiss. His chest relaxed a little and suddenly the lump in her throat wasn’t so tight anymore. “I will always be with you.” Blake promised, even though he thought it was obvious. He wouldn’t let her leave. “But I really think you should talk to Matt. We can’t live in fear like this. Think about Hope. We can’t hide and wait for George’s next step. We have to fight back, and Matthew can help.” She put her head down again, thinking. He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Everybody can help if you report him. He won’t be able to get close to you.” 

Gwen closed her eyes, trying to brush her fears away, but it was impossible. “I’m terrified.” She confessed in a weak voice tone. “George is really smart and he’s aiming people I love. I know there’s only one way to stop him.”

“No.” Blake was perfectly following her line of thoughts. “You won’t go back to him.”

“Matthew is right.” She opened her eyes to say, a soft sob escaping her lips. “George will keep hurting people until he gets me back.” Blake’s arm tightened around her body, as if he needed to make sure she wouldn’t run away. “Sometimes I wish I never left. He used to only hurt me. I would be the only one who got hurt if I stayed. Now I don’t know what he’s capable of anymore.” 

That thought she let out hurt Blake more than the pain of his fractured rib and head concussion. Gwen felt so guilty that sometimes she wished to put herself back in the position from which she had fled, just so everybody else’s life would go back to normal. That was something she confessed to him only. “He won’t hurt you anymore. And he won’t hurt anybody else.” He kissed her forehead again. His heart was small and hurting. “Talk to Matthew. I promise you he’s one of the good guys and he will help us. We can’t keep going on like this.”

She thought about it for a second. She didn’t trust Matthew at all, but Blake did, and she trusted Blake more than anyone else. Maybe she should give in for once and let Blake decide that. If it wasn’t the right thing to do, at least it couldn’t be the worst either. George had already found her and he was already there, hunting her like she was his hopeless prey. The police couldn’t make it worse. 

And she just wanted to stay right there forever and take care of Blake. She didn’t want him to get hurt like that ever again. Gwen lifted her head once again and her lips touched the side of his face, the right side, that wasn’t hurt. She traced a path of soft kisses and hugged him tightly, but carefully. “I’ll take care of you. I won’t leave you.”

“Hey, the bed is for the patient.” A not so friendly nurse called her out.

“Sorry.” Gwen got up, leaving Blake with all the space he needed, but that his body didn’t really want.

“Sorry, it was my fault.” He confessed. The nurse seemed way more amicable when she smiled at him. Maybe his joke about the nurses was actually true after all. 

“Blakey.” Gwen got his attention back without having to do a single thing besides calling his name. “I will talk to Matthew.” She said, filling the silence and his heart with hope. “I will tell him everything.”

  


***

  


“Is it enough?” She asked as soon as he turned the voice recorder off. Her legs now had a few deep, temporary marks from her own long nails that were digging into her skin since she sat on that chair and started telling that story that she hated to tell.

“To get him arrested? Unfortunately no.” Matthew was very honest. “But we’re going to file for a protective order for you and Hope.” He showed her a few forms she would have to sign in order to get protected. “And I will try to throw Blake in there too.”

Gwen read over it a bit. “Does this mean he can’t get close to us?” 

“Yes. It’s valid for three years.” Matthew confirmed. “But we need to get proof so we can actually file criminal charges. If there’s a way we can prove all you told me today, the way he physically abused you and mentally abused your daughter, the flowers, the stalking, Blake’s car wreck and everything. If we can prove that, we can put him in jail for a long time.”

“But we can’t. Can we?” She asked, but already suspected what his answer might be.

“Right now we can’t. But I will take this to people above me.” He guaranteed. “They will help us know exactly which way to go. And he won’t stop, so maybe we can get him when he tries again.” He kept saying as she was reading and signing the court forms. “Maybe we can even set up a bait to get him.”

Gwen stopped what she was doing and looked at Matthew, lightly frowning. “Why is it that you seem a little too into this?” She questioned. “An hour ago you couldn’t wait to get rid of me.” 

“I’m not.” He shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s cause this is a very small town. Those kind of things never really happen here. This might be the most exciting police investigation Humberstone will ever have.” 

“I don’t think it’s exciting at all.” She shook her head. “I also don’t think that’s how you should look at it while your friend is in a hospital bed because of it.” 

“Oh, but you can’t judge me.” Matthew stood up, putting his voice recorder away. The meeting between them was basically over. “You’re the reason why he’s there, don’t ever forget it. He’s there because you knew your husband was dangerous and abusive, but you let Blake get involved anyway.” He accused her and his words hit Gwen like a freezing wave. She looked away. “Yeah, your husband, because you are still legally married to him, even though you’re sleeping in Blake’s bed. No wonder the man is angry.”

“That’s it. I’m out of here.” She stood up too, so fast that the chair behind her fell on the floor. 

“I didn’t mean to—” He tried to say, but she didn’t even care.

“Don’t say anything else. It’s better if you don’t even try, Matthew.” Gwen interrupted him. “That’s fine, you don’t like me, I get it. I’m not here for you or for your exciting police investigation, I’m here for Blake, Dorothy and Hope. I’m here for my family. And it’s very difficult for me, so if you could just respect that.”

“I’m sorry.” He said, taking a deep breath. “I’m really sorry, it was a stupid thing to say and I know it. I didn’t mean it.” 

“That’s fine. Let’s just keep it professional.” She grabbed her purse, ready to go pick Hope up from school and go back to the hospital, were she left Blake with Dorothy. “You do your job like I’m any other ordinary person in this town and we will be fine.” 

“Ok.” Matthew agreed. “I will send everything to the sheriff and we will decide the next steps. I will call you when we have anything figured out. It will probably be after New Year’s Eve, when we’re back to work.” 

Gwen nodded. There wasn’t much else to say. She didn’t believe in that system at all and could even imagine the investigation never really moving forward, but she had done her part anyway. She did it because Blake asked her and now they couldn’t say she wasn’t trying. But no one could tell until when George was going to keep quiet. By that moment he probably already knew Blake was alive and getting better. That would definitely make George even angrier. New Year’s Eve might be too late.

  


***

  


The following week was quiet. Too quiet. Blake was discharged from the hospital with doctors orders to rest and relax. Their New Year’s Eve was peaceful. They stayed at home and watched the lake’s light show from their backyard. But the new year didn’t start as calm as it’s first dawn, in the first days of January, somehow, the whole town already knew about Gwen's story. Not only about her being married, but the fact that she had suffered domestic violence and was running away from her husband. Every citizen of Humberstone knew that George was looking for her and the matter was being treated as if it was in the general interest of the small town. 

Dorothy had some customers canceling their orders because they were afraid of having any relationship with her family, because of George and what they heard on the streets that he could be capable of. Gwen had a very bad first few days at work, with co-workers whispering about her in the school hallways. She was walking around Humberstone like she had a target on her back, or maybe on her forehead, and people would literally cross to the other side of the street, like her crazy abusive husband could decide to jump out of a bush right when they were passing by her. Luckily, Blake was still at home recovering and witnessed few exaggerations like that, or he probably would have lost his mind. He was having a hard time physically and mentally, since staying in bed was impossible for him, as he had very limited movements on his left arm and his abdomen was still wrapped in a bandage because of his recovering broken rib. But the cuts and bruises were almost gone, except for his arm and the one on his forehead, that was now purple with greenish edges, on his left temple. 

At the beginning of the second week of January, Matthew organized a meeting at the police station to talk about the news on the investigations about George. According to the cop, the town’s sheriff would be present, so Blake insisted on going with Gwen. She agreed just because those people had known Blake forever and his presence there would make her way more comfortable. 

The police station was a small two-story building on the main square in downtown, next to the little white church and the city hall. It had a glass door and a waiting area with uncomfortable gray chairs. Blake and Gwen waited there until Matthew met them and took them in. The first floor of the station had a few work desks and many cabinets, lockers and files, then they went up the stairs and walked a short hall with three cubicle offices with glass walls where you could see inside. One of those belonged to the sheriff. His name was displayed at the door: Dick Hopkins. The small office had a desk with a chair on one side and two other in front of it, a cabinet with five big drawers, a board with information on a random case and a couple of licenses, and an open window overlooking the square, that was all of it. 

“Come in here, son.” The short, burly sheriff greeted Blake as soon as Matthew opened the glass door. He had few remaining hairs on his head, but a full gray mustache over his upper lip. “How are you? How’s your sweet mother?” They all knew each other, if that wasn’t obvious. 

“We’re alright, Dick, thank you.” Blake politely smiled. His hand was still holding Gwen’s as if he was afraid she would turn around and just leave. And she really wanted to. “This is Gwen. I don't know if you were properly introduced before.”

“No, we weren’t.” Dick approached them so he could shake Gwen’s hand, and looked at her as if she was something to be decoded — or maybe devoured. “I’ve seen her around, though. Heard a lot about her too.”

He didn’t have to talk like she wasn’t there when he was shaking her hand tightly like that, but that was a very male thing to do. “Nice to meet you.” Gwen said, pulling her hand back before he had the chance to squeeze more. 

“Please have a seat.” The sheriff invited them in and Matthew closed the glass door. They still had no privacy at all. The white men in the other cubicles would frequently look their way. “You look really good, Shelton. They told me your car wreck was an ugly one.”

“I got really lucky.” Blake told him as they sat side by side on the two chairs in front of the desk. Gwen noticed the sheriff said somebody told him about Blake’s accident which meant he didn’t look into any of that himself. The police in Humberstone sure seemed to have an odd work style. A lazy one, if she was honest. 

Dick sat behind his computer, on his desk, and Matthew stood close to the window.

“I’m really glad, Blake.” The short man nodded. “Well so I guess we go straight to the news, right? Matthew brought me your case and we went through everything together.” He grabbed some paperwork and gave it straight to Blake, as if Gwen wasn’t even there and the case wasn’t about her. “It’s not the best news, to be honest.”

“We looked for George.” Matthew started to be part of the conversation. “His past, his present and everything that could be wrong about him, but there’s nothing. He is a regular citizen of California, perfect records, not even a traffic violation. He works on his father’s business, he was never married before Gwen and Hope is his only daughter. He went to good schools. His family comes from a lot of money. Nothing there screamed abusive husband.”

“I know all of this.” Gwen sighed. “I could have told you all of this.” Blake squeezed her hands, just so she remembered he was right there and she wasn’t alone. 

“We know, doll, but there’s a bureaucracy that we have to go through.” Dick told her and then he looked at Matthew, encouraging the cop to keep going with the story.

“After that we got in contact with the Sun Valley police. We were looking for anything that could prove that he was aggressive towards you.” Matthew explained, before she was able to ask about it. “But look, you never reported him, neighbors had never heard or seen anything. There were no disturbances at all on your street, let alone your house. And you lived there for more than five years, didn’t you?” 

“I moved there right before Hope was born.” Gwen confirmed. The frustration was growing inside of her by the second. Although she promised herself she wouldn’t get her hopes up about that police investigation, she might have done just that without even realizing. 

“Just because she didn’t report him and the neighbors never heard anything, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t abusive.” Blake showed as much frustration as she did. He was expecting way more from the police than she was. 

“There’s more.” Matthew cleared his throat. “Since Gwen left, George opened a missing person’s case and he’s pretty much a celebrity in Sun Valley. He says you two were kidnapped inside of your house and taken away, but he can’t prove that, of course. Regular people are buying it, though, they are really sad for the poor gentlemen who lost his wife and daughter overnight. The thing is, a couple of months ago, he disappeared too.”

“He what?” Gwen looked at Matthew with a very confused face. 

“A neighbor called the police because he didn’t answer the door for three days straight. They went there and the house was a mess, signs of struggle everywhere, and he wasn’t there.” The cop told them. “No signs of theft of anything. Just another missing person from the same family. He never came back.”

“What the hell?” Blake was very confused too. He brought Gwen’s hand to his lap and his thumb lightly caressed her skin. He knew she must be terrified. 

“That’s really weird.” She was still thinking, but talking at the same time. “George hated all our neighbors. He never wanted to see anyone or go anywhere. Now people are knocking on his door and noticing that he’s missing? God, he beat me up for years in that house and nobody noticed.”

“A sad, vulnerable, rich guy with a possible dead wife? I bet the women in the neighborhood wouldn’t let that pass.” The sheriff laughed at his own joke, as if that was the funniest one. Nobody followed him, not even Matthew, so he pretended to cough. “Well, your husband is a genius.” He kept the conversation going. “We think he staged a fight and capture, and disappeared from Sun Valley when he found out where you were. Then he came straight here. Which means he’s staying somewhere around town, if not in Humberstone. So we think he has help from our own people.” He said. “The fact is, you can’t accuse a missing husband of killing his missing wife when she shows up dead, you know what I’m saying?” 

Gwen knew what Dick was saying, with no empathy whatsoever. If George killed her when he was theoretically missing, it could be way more difficult for anyone to prove that he was the killer. They would probably think he was dead too. “But I’m not missing.” She said. “I’m right here. Can’t I just say I left because he was going to kill me?”

“Are you going to walk in that town, that loves George, the poor husband without a wife, and tell them you took his daughter and left, making him believe you where kidnapped?” Matthew painted the picture for her, and it was an ugly one. “You will lose your daughter, just to start with.”

“What do we do, then?” Blake impatiently asked. He was terrified by the turns that the conversation was taking. “Man, people in this town are fucked up. Who is helping him?”

“Well, we don’t know who is helping, but I have an idea on what to do. The thing is, it’s not going to be easy and you won’t like it.” The cop said, straight to Blake, so they both kept looking at him, waiting, until he sighed and finally started talking again. “I think the best way to go is trying to communicate with him. He’s doing it through flowers and short messages, so I think we could find a way to communicate back. I mean, Gwen would be the one doing the talking, since he is not interested in anyone else.” 

“No.” Blake almost interrupted before he finished. “She’s not going to talk to him.”

“It’s going to be safe, Blake. We will be monitoring it all.” Matthew tried to explain. “We need to be in control now, even though George will still think he is. If we wait until he attacks again, he will surprise us. We need to act first.”

“I know how this goes, Matt. You will start with a safe communication and soon you will be using her as a bait to get to him.” Blake shook his head. That card was off the table, he wouldn’t let them use Gwen.

A brief silence took place inside of the small office. Matthew sighed like a frustrated child. 

“Blake, do you remember what you promised me?” Gwen asked him, in a low voice tone, but they all heard it.

“What?” He was more confused than ever when he looked at her.

“About Hope. Do you remember?” She looked right at him too.

Blake remembered, of course. She had made him promise, months ago, that regardless of anything that happened, he would protect Hope and wouldn’t let George put his hands on her.

_If he gets me, let him have me, but protect her. Promise?_

It took him a second to understand exactly what she meant with her question. “Gwen, no.” He squeezed her hand again, but it was too late.

“I’ll communicate with him.” She said to the sheriff and the cop. “Find a safe way.”


	14. Principal’s Office

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at almost 4 in the morning. Hahaha  
> Sorry to keep you waiting.

The little hand stroked his face again. Fingers carefully sliding across his skin over the large bruise on his forehead. Blake closed his eyes and let Hope caress him like she used to do to her mother all the time. The little girl was always so affectionate that it was difficult to believe she didn’t have a loving father, or that she was growing up in a very aggressive environment until months ago. That was just who she was becoming, despite everything, a kind and caring little girl. She got it from her mom and her mom only. It was all Gwen. But she also loved Blake, they had a great, fun and loving relationship since the beginning and it seemed to just get stronger and better everyday. It was Hope who was most frightened by the way he looked hurt when he returned home after the car wreck. She was too young to understand they almost lost him, but old enough to know it hurt pretty bad and that he wasn’t in his best shape after that. She also was too young for them to explain exactly what happened, and probably would never know her own father did that.

Now she was getting used to the bruises, since he was getting better, although Blake would still find her looking at him with curious eyes, staring at his bruised skin, his cuts and his bandages. But that early morning was different, the little girl was less curious and frightened and more caring. She was also taking care of him, like her mother and Dorothy were doing.

Gwen and Hope had moved from their bed to his very early that morning, even before the sunrise. Now the day was finally starting, the sun was slowly rising on the horizon and the three of them were laying together in bed. Hope was in the middle of them, turned to Blake’s side, with her hand on his face like she needed to brush his bad bruise away to make it all better, and her little feet tucked in between her mother’s hips and the soft mattress. She and Blake were awake since they got there, but Gwen had just fell asleep again, finally feeling safe and comfortable after moving to Blake’s bed because of a really bad nightmare.  
Now everything was quiet and right in the world, at least in that single moment. Gwen was wrapping both of them with one of her arms, Blake’s good arm was stuck under their bodies and Hope was snuggled in the middle. 

“Does it hurt?” The little girl whispered to him while the tip of her fingers were still touching his bruised face.

“No, baby girl, not anymore.” He said, also whispering. He felt really good there, as if nothing could go wrong while he was laying there, with both of them in his arms. His chest was full of affection and he felt whole. Blake didn’t need anything else. 

Hope smiled at him, like his answer was everything she wanted to hear. She didn’t want him to be hurt, she needed him to be ok. More relaxed, the girl rested her head on his chest and threw her hand back to touch Gwen’s face. That was something she loved to do, she needed to be touching both of them, giving and receiving love at the same time and from all sides. Hope never had that before, it was always just her mom. She ended up hitting her mother in the neck, a little heavier than she planned to. Gwen moved a little and softly groaned, but she wasn’t fully awake, she was too used to sleeping with her daughter and feeling the girl moving next to her. Blake leaned forward and kissed Gwen’s closed eyelids, making her softly smile, even with her eyes still closed. Gwen’s hand went up and she caressed his hair on the back of his head. Blake then kissed the top of Hope’s head too. He was perfectly content right there, embracing them and waking up next to them. Gwen was comfortable and warm and had the two people she loved the most right there in her arms, as sheltered as they could be. And the little girl, that was safely snuggled between them, was happy and feeling more loved than she had ever felt before. Love that came from both sides and that embraced her completely. The difference was clear, even for a child as young as Hope.

Laying together in bed, the three of them were growing and learning through love. Love that taught them to accept different origins, because blood didn’t really mean anything. That kind of bond was stronger than any biological one. And family was more than what any official paper could ever say. At that point, they loved each other deeply, and they would be part of each other’s lives forever, it didn’t matter what was still to come. Somehow, destiny came into play and they were family, no one could say otherwise.

“Are you my dad now?” The little girl broke the silence with that question while running her fingers through her mother’s hair.

Gwen opened her eyes wide. Blake was looking at her, not knowing what to say. She squeezed the back of his neck as if she was trying to say she got this. But she was as lost as he was. “Look at me, baby.” Her sleepy voice asked, and Hope turned to her side. Gwen’s hand left Blake’s neck so she could hold her daughter tightly against her chest. “You can love Blake even though he’s not your father.” She said, trying not to mess too much with the little girl’s head. “You have a father.” 

“I know, but he’s not here.” Hope said, looking into her mother’s eyes and trying to express all of her thoughts and doubts. “I don’t see him anymore. Does that still count?”

That was also her fault, Gwen thought, if someone was still counting. She took Hope from her home and from her father, but she had her reasons, even though she knew one day she would have to explain everything to her daughter. “Yes, my love, it counts.” She wanted to say it was unfortunate, but she couldn’t, so she just tightened her embrace around her daughter’s little body and kissed her forehead. 

“But I’m here, ok?” Blake got closer and snuggled to them too. He stretched his hurt arm and wrapped it around both of them while his good one was still under their bodies. This way he was fully hugging them. “I love you and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Ok.” Hope agreed and turned her body again, laying on her back in the middle. She reached out so she could wrap her arms around their necks and pull both of them to her. 

Gwen just pressed the side of her face against Hope’s, but Blake started to place lots of kisses, one after the other, on the girl's cheek, making her laugh out loud. “Oh, I think it’s kissing time.” He said.

“No!” Hope let out a little squeak sound. Soon Gwen was following him, attacking Hope's other cheek with the same amount of kisses while also tickling her. 

The three of them were laughing together and having a great time in bed when the alarm clock rang. It was time to get up and face the day, at least for the girls. 

“Alright, it’s time to go shower.” Gwen sat up, pulling the covers off of them. “Let’s go, Hope.”

“No, mommy.” Her daughter whined. “It’s kissing time.”

Gwen laughed. That was something Blake made up for when he wanted to annoy her, but the truth was that her daughter loved it. “I’m going to turn the shower on and I want you there in five minutes.”

“But we need you for kissing time, mommy.” Hope was still trying to convince her.

“Yeah, we definitely need you for kissing time.” Blake joined her.

“Oh, not you too.” She rolled her eyes and turned around to leave. “Five minutes, Hope.”

Blake and Hope exchanged a mischievous look and the girl soon attacked him with her little hand tickling his neck. He laughed and pretended she really got him, then he grabbed her and threw her in the air, holding her back up after. Hope was laughing really hard, but his injured arm protested because of her weight. He kept throwing her and playing for a couple more minutes, then kissed her cheeks until the little girl was out of breath because of her laughter. When he finally put her back down next to him, his shoulder was even throbbing in pain.

“Now go take your shower.” He told her, not letting it show. “Be a good girl, ok? Mommy is tired.” 

“Ok, I will.” She agreed and smiled at him. 

“Now give me another kiss, you’re too cute.” Blake asked and laughed. Hope leaned in to happily kiss his face. He kissed her forehead right after, holding her in a fast, but tight hug. “I love you.”

“I love you, Blakey.” Hope smiled again and Blake was still doing it himself. He then let her go so she could join her mom and start her day.

He would start his too. That was the first time they all woke up together like that, but Blake had just discovered something he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Although his arm was hurting a little and he knew he had to take it easier, he was more content and cheerful than ever. That was the best way to start his day.

  


***

  


Gwen and Hope entered the school hand in hand. It was an ordinary cold Monday morning in the middle of January. As soon as they arrived at the girl’s classroom door, the mother knelt down to unzip the winter coat her daughter was wearing. 

“I hope you have a great day, bunny.” She took the girl’s coat off and kissed her cheek a couple of times. “I love you.”

“I love you too, mommy.” They rubbed their noses together like they always used to do, then Hope stroke her mother’s hair. “Mommy, will we stay here forever?” She asked. 

Gwen thought about it for a second. “I hope so, baby. What do you think of it?”

“I want to stay.” Hope said. “But if we have to leave, can we take Blakey and Dot with us? I don’t want to leave them behind like we did with dad.”

The mother's heart sank. Her mind kept saying over and over again: _It's your fault._ “We don’t have to go anywhere, baby. We will stay here, ok? With Blake and Dot.” 

“Ok, mommy. It’s my favorite place.” Hope smiled and they hugged for a little while. 

It was so bittersweet to know that her daughter was finally feeling at home in Humberstone right when they were having so many problems in town. At least life wasn’t so hard for little Hope anymore, and it was only fair that Gwen sacrificed everything to maintain that. She wasn’t sure how things could be so messy and finally getting back on track at the same time, but it was exactly what it felt like.

A brief turmoil was going on down the hall, and Gwen saw the principal's office door opening while she was standing up. The Humberstone Elementary School was small, it was possible to see almost all of its interior spaces if they were standing in the middle of the corridor, so she also saw when Barbara came out of that door. 

“Go in, baby, it’s time.” Gwen carefully pushed Hope inside of the classroom and waved to Alicia, one second before the inns owner reached her.

“I heard you’re married.” She stopped to say. “It doesn’t surprise me at all.” Gwen looked away and pretended she was never spoken to, but Barbara didn’t let go. “I’m sure Blake was surprised, though, wasn’t he? He must regret leaving Ashley. It must suck for him to know he’s stuck with the slut and will never have a woman like Ash in his life anymore.” Barbara laughed.

Gwen felt the blood boiling in her veins. She had been so good at just ignoring stupid people for her whole life, but it seemed like she just couldn’t anymore. It was like her whole body was burning, and it wasn’t the good kind of fire. In fact, it was worse than the one she felt when she finally quit her waitress job. “Shut up.” She took a step forward, towards the other woman. “This is my daughter’s school. I work here, I don’t intend to make a scene, but I can if you want me to.” They were just a couple of inches away now, and Gwen had her index finger in the air, pointing at her face like a threat, almost losing her mind. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“Oh!” Barbara was definitely surprised by her aggressive response, but she never lost the sarcastic smile on her lips. It was easy for Gwen to notice that she wasn’t looking for a fight, she had already won one. That realization hit strong like a punch in Gwen’s stomach. She even felt sick. The principal’s office door opened again, right on time. “I told you I was going to make your life a living hell. I wasn’t joking.” Barbara was still smiling. “Haven’t you heard? I always win.”

Linda, the school’s principal, showed up at the door and motioned for Gwen to approach her. 

“You’re a monster.” Gwen closed her fist tightly and deeply considered the option of hitting Barbara right in the face, but ended up letting go. She gave the inn’s owner a last killer stare, and then moved on.

“Leave, Gwen. Leave while you still can.” Barbara said, right before moving on too.

Gwen crossed the hallway, not really excited for whatever was to come, but still really anxious. Her heart was pounding and it was difficult for her to even hear her own thoughts. Her hands started to shake in the middle of the way, so she held them together. Linda held the door open for her to enter, but closed it as soon as the two of them were inside and alone. Gwen couldn't read the expressions on the principal's face, but she was absolutely sure that whatever it was, it couldn't be a good thing.

“Please, sit down.” The woman pointed to the chair in front of her desk. 

And she did, even though she wanted to beg the other one to just go straight to the point. “Is something wrong?” 

“I’m afraid so.” Linda took a deep and loud breath as if she needed to breathe in some air before saying what she needed to say. “I’m sorry, Gwen, I can’t have you working here anymore. I’ll have to let you go.” 

Although Gwen had a feeling that was going to happen since she saw Barbara coming out of that room, the sentence hit her in the heart like a knife. “Oh, please don’t do that. It took me so long to find this. Don’t take it away from me, I just started.” 

“I’m sorry, it’s not my choice, but it’s one that I have to accept and, unfortunately, act on.” The principal told her. She didn’t seem too happy either. 

“Was it something I did?” Gwen asked, just to get it out of her head. She actually already knew the answer.

“No, Gwen. You were doing great and I had a lot of plans for you here.” Linda sighed. “I’m really sorry. The community has been bothering the board about it and they finally gave in.” She said, being very honest. She couldn’t just pretend it was the employees fault when she was doing so great. “They want Hope out too, but we don’t see any reason for that.” 

“Oh my God.” Gwen shook her head in disbelief. She could feel the way her blood just seemed to leave her face and body. She was grateful for the chair she was sitting on, or she would probably have passed out. “What did I ever do to those people? What did my five year old daughter do to them? It just seems really unfair.”

“I know, it’s definitely not fair. But this is a small town and the community has a lot of power here.” Linda was a little ashamed of the townspeople if she was completely honest.

“I guess Humberstone will never be home after all.” Gwen sighed.

“I’m sure it will get better. They can’t do this to you forever.” The principal was feeling really bad. “It’s the police investigation and all that. Humberstone has never seen something like that so close to home. Soon it will calm down.”

“Thank you, but I’m really tired.” Gwen got up. “I don’t know if I want to wait for it to pass anymore. I appreciate all you said, though.” She was completely lost and hopeless in that moment. Barbara was really staying true to her word and turning her life into hell. 

Again, Gwen was so tired. She was tired of fighting, tired of running, tired of hiding and tired of getting beat up when she was trying to do her best. Hope was doing her best too, in school, in life, in general, but it always seemed like it wasn’t enough, and when the girl finally had a good thing there and was finally feeling like she belonged, there those selfish Humberstone people were again, pointing their fingers to make sure they knew they did not belong there. 

She got back into her car that morning, in the school parking lot and she cried. She desperately cried because she was exhausted. And she was really tired of crying too. She drove back home trying to think about what would happen next and what else she could try to do to make her life a little easier and her daughter’s life better. There was no right answer to that, though. 

“Hey, what are you doing home?” Blake got off the couch when she walked in, and a second later, Dorothy was walking in from the kitchen too. It was the middle of the morning, she should definitely be at work. 

Gwen wanted to say something, she wanted to get angry and scream, maybe throw things, but all she did was lean against the cold hard wall and let her tears stream down her face again. The other two got alarmed right away, Blake approached her and Dorothy remained standing further away, between the kitchen and the living room, giving them some space, but still very concerned. 

“They fired me.” She cried. Blake pulled her to him even before she finished the sentence. “The community of Humberstone doesn’t want me there, they don’t want me near their children. Not me, the dangerous outsider with a police investigation on her shoulders.” She felt like punching the wall or maybe digging her nails into her own skin until pain was all she could feel. Pain would be better than the feeling of being completely powerless in that situation. “And that would be ok if it was all, but it’s not. They don’t want Hope there either.” 

“What? They can’t do that.” He was holding her tightly in a hug and his eyes met his mother’s. Neither of them could believe that. “Are they going to make Hope leave school too?” 

“No, the school doesn’t want to do that to her, they don’t see any reason, but I wonder until when. Barbara won’t stop trying.” Gwen said, still crying. Even with her head resting on Blake’s chest, she didn’t seem to get any comfort.

“Barbara?” Dorothy seemed very surprised. “That just went too far. Maybe we should go talk to her, Blake. Or to the mayor, or maybe the sheriff, I don’t know. Someone needs to do something about it. That’s so unfair.”

“No, please.” Gwen let go of Blake’s hug to look at his mother. “I can’t let you guys do any of that. Please, I don’t want you to.” She sighed and took her hands to her face so she could get rid of her tears. Her crying was probably freaking them out and that wouldn’t help anything. “I want to talk to you, Blake. Can we go upstairs?” 

“Sure, come with me.” He held her hand so he could guide her upstairs with him. His mother looked at him with an worrisome expression on her face. 

Dorothy was very worried about the possible turns of the conversation, because she knew that no decision should be made after an event so upsetting as that one, but at the same time, she also knew that, in Gwen’s case, she needed to make a decision about her life as quickly as possible. It wasn’t just about her, it was about Hope too. And Dorothy knew very well what decision she would make if she was in the other woman’s shoes. The problem was that she cared a lot about Blake and what would become of him if anything bad happened, whether coming from that conversation, or because of the townspeople, or maybe even Gwen's aggressive husband. Whatever went down next, Blake would be very affected, and it was breaking his mother's heart. There was no way to win anything at that moment.

“What are you feeling?” Blake asked when they walked in his bedroom and closed the door. “Are you really mad? We can go back to the Hill farm and break some stuff if you want.”

Gwen had her back to him, she was looking out of his window, admiring the quiet little dead end street. There was so much that she needed to say, but she just wished she could lie down next to him for a while and not say anything. “I can’t take this anymore.” She let out a loud sob and her whole body lost its strength. She fell down, sitting on the edge of his bed. “I can’t. I just can’t, Blake. Poor Hope was finally adjusting to her new school and life. She told me today that she wanted to stay here forever, but now they want her out. And why is that? Is it really because of George or is it because I’m dating you and Barbara hates me because you won’t marry Ashley?”

Blake quickly understood the seriousness of the conversation, so he go closer and sat right by her side on the bed. The part about Hope broke his heart in a million pieces, but he put on a strong face and caressed her back slowly as she cried. “They don’t have a good reason, they just want to bully you. I’m really sorry about that, but everything will be ok, we just need to—”

“No!” Gwen interrupted him mid sentence. “Nothing will be ok. Stop saying it will be ok.” She was still crying, but her voice tone was a little less patient now. She was fed up with people telling her to sit and wait. “I want out. I want to leave this town. I don’t want to spend one more night here. They don’t want me here? Then fine, they won, I’m out.” She wasn’t even sure she really wanted that, but she just let those words out of her mouth while she was still thinking about it. 

“What?” He was really surprised by that. The math didn't make sense, if Gwen left, what would become of them? “What do you mean? You can’t leave.”

“I can leave. I’ve left Sun Valley, I can leave Humberstone.” She rolled her eyes and made an impatient noise with her mouth, as if all of her frustration was manifesting at once, at the worst moment.

“That’s it then? You are leaving me.” Blake stood up, taking a few steps back as if he needed some space for himself. “And what am I supposed to do here, Gwen? Just pretend nothing ever happened? Like you were never in my life? As if I was never in love with you? Like I never met Hope and like I don’t love her as if she was mine?” Even though those things seemed absurd to even think about, he thought it was important to list them. “What else do you want me to do? Should I just move to the side and let you leave like this?”

That was the very moment when she realized she was being very unfair. Gwen was so tired and frustrated that she had just held everything against Blake, and in the worst possible way. She never wanted to act like he wasn't important, or as if disappearing from his life was a decision as simple as leaving George behind. She shouldn’t have said anything like that, but she did. 

“I’m sorry, I—” Her cry got even worse. She rose from the bed too, approaching Blake. She knew she had hurt him and that was unforgivable, especially because it was Blake. Blake that did everything he could for her, who took her and Hope in and truly loved them. If there was anything worse than hurting him, she didn’t know what could it be. “Blakey—” Her voice broke into a loud sob. Gwen thought he was going to react negatively, that was what she was used to, but when she took a step forward to end the distance that still existed between them, Blake's arms wrapped her in a warm and understanding embrace.

He held her tightly against his body as if he was the one who needed some kind of security that time. His eyes watered and his breathing became heavy. “Please, stay.” Blake asked, with a weak voice. He didn’t even remember the last time he had cried. “I know it’s difficult. I know I’m probably asking for too much, but I’m going to be very selfish right now and ask you to please stay with me.” She lifted her head to look at him and he lowered his so his lips could lightly brush against her forehead while he was still hugging her tightly. “I will protect you. Both of you. Please I can’t go on living without knowing where you are and if you’re ok. I just can’t. Let me take care of you and Hope. You’re my family.” 

Gwen tried to stop her crying, but as Blake was talking, everything got even worse. By that point, she was already sobbing desperately and without being able to stop. She knew that the best thing to do in that situation was to leave, not only for herself, but for Hope and even for Blake and Dorothy, but it was bittersweet again, because she just couldn't leave him. Gwen loved him, that was undeniable. She would go to the end of the world for Blake, and that meant that she would stay in Humberstone, even if that was pretty much like hell to her. 

“I love you.” She whispered, still crying like she was hurting. “I will stay with you.” 

Blake's lips moved slowly down her wet face and kissed her lips repeatedly. “I love you.” He said, between her lips. “Promise?”

“Promise.” Gwen promised, and they put their lips together again, sealing the deal and its promises with an intense and passionate kiss.

  


***

  


“Please, don’t run.” Gwen asked as soon as she put Hope down from her car seat. 

But, of course, her daughter didn’t listen to her, and as soon as her little feet touched the floor, she was running to the white house’s porch. “Blakey! I’m home!” She celebrated, calling Blake as she sat on the wooden swing he built. 

Gwen watched her while grabbing all of the things she left behind, her little backpack, her lunch box and a teddy bear. Before she could wrap everything in her arms, her cellphone started ringing and she had to put it all back down in the car seat, so she could check it. The name on the phone’s screen surprised her: Ashley. Gwen thought about it for a second, but she couldn’t make up a single reason for that woman to be calling her. Out of everybody in town, she was sure Ashley would be who least wanted to talk to her. Pondering all that in a few seconds, she decided to answer the call.

“Hello?” Gwen took the phone up to her ear. 

“Gwen?” The voice on the other side seemed a little unsure, but it was really Ashley. “Hey, Gwen, I’m in town and I really wanted to talk to you. Can you please meet me at the inn?” She did not sound like her usual cheerful self, but that was understandable. 

“Ash, I don’t think we—” Gwen tried to say, but she was cut in the middle of her sentence. 

“Please, Gwen?” Blake’s ex fiancée weirdly begged. “Blake talked to me about it and I had the chance to say what I wanted to say to him, but I couldn’t talk to you and I feel like I really need to. You owe me that.”

Gwen wanted to deeply sigh on the phone e maybe even throw a fit. A little peace and quiet was all she was asking for, but didn’t seem to get, no matter what. Her life already had so much drama and so many problems, not even mentioning all the way more important things she had to think about and deal with, she definitely didn’t need her boyfriend’s ex fiancée telling her anything that would make her feel even more guilty. But she didn’t complain and she didn’t even sigh. She just tried to understand. Maybe Ashley needed that so she could move on, and maybe, if she moved on, Barbara could move on too. 

“Fine, I’ll meet you.” She told the other woman. 

“Ok, I will leave town tomorrow morning, so it needs to be today.” Ashley said. “Can you come here now?”

Gwen looked around. By that point Blake was already sitting with Hope on the swing and they were both distracted enough. “I think I may be able to.” She told her.

“I will wait for you.” Ash was sounding a little more confident and less desperate now. “And Gwen, please don’t tell Blake you’re meeting me. I know you’re dating him, but I don’t want him to know I’m talking to you. I don’t want him to know I’m in town and I want him as far away from me as he can be.” 

That sounded really odd to Gwen. She knew that Ashley and Blake broke up in not so good terms, but she didn’t know it was that bad. She didn’t think anyone could say anything like that about Blake, if she was honest. “Fine.” She agreed, just because, by then, she was really curious about what that conversation could be about. “I will be there soon.”

“See you soon.” Ashley hung up. 

Gwen put her phone back in her pocket and grabbed Hope’s things so she could walk to the porch. As soon as she got there, Blake smiled at her and she couldn’t help but smile back. Then she handed her daughter’s backpack and lunch box to him, and gave the teddy bear to the girl. 

“I forgot I had to grab something in town.” She told him. “Can you take these things inside when you go in?”

“Are you going back?” He asked, confused to why she couldn’t just wait until the next day, since she was already home. “I made us dinner.”

“I will be right back, I just have to buy something quick and fill my tank. Can you wait for me?” Gwen leaned down to briefly kiss his lips. She knew it would seem regular and usual, so it probably would brush any worries out of his mind. 

“Yes, sure.” It worked. Blake agreed as she was kissing the top of Hope’s head. 

“Ok, wait for me.” Gwen made her way back to her car. “I will be right back. I love you guys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, Gwen. 
> 
> Let me know what you think, please?


	15. On the corner of 6th and Arbor Street

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the people who suspect someone is up to something bad in this story: You are probably right. 
> 
> Now hold my hand and let’s go...

The sky was already dark when Gwen parked her car in the parking lot behind the inn. It was a courtesy of the freezing winter. The place was really empty, probably because it was really cold and Humberstone didn’t have many visitors in the winter, but the restaurant seemed to be open and it used to be one of the busiest places in town, but clearly it wasn’t anymore. Gwen caught herself wondering if that was one of the reasons why Barbara was so bitter and had so much time to take care of other people’s lives. Was it her fault too? Probably, but she didn’t really care anymore at that point. Barbara was a terrible person, it was ok if she had to suffer a little too, in some way. 

Ashley parked her car right next to Gwen’s and they got out as soon as they recognized each other. 

“Come with me, let’s go in through the other door. My mom is working and I don’t want her to see you.” The shorter woman guided the way, going around the building and following to a small door on the side. Gwen followed her closely. Ashley entered a code and the door opened. “Come in.”

Even though Gwen worked there for a few months, she didn’t know about that door, but the reason was clear as soon as she realized they were not really inside of the inn, they were at Barbara’s place, behind the restaurant. They crossed a small living room and went down a steel spiral staircase to something that seemed to be a regular basement, but as soon as Ashley opened the heavy door, it proved to be way more than that. The space was large, it stretched out under the entire inn and Barbara’s house. It was a storage full of hotel and restaurant equipment, a big laundry room for towels, sheets and curtains, and also a mailbox room, with many locked spots to store mail for the guests, each one with a different room number on it. There were also bigger lockers, for packages.

Even though Ashley’s call was unexpected, Gwen wasn’t worried about anything other then being forced to have a conversation she wasn’t comfortable with, at least until they got to that place and the basement seemed like an odd place for any kind of conversation. 

“Why did you call me, Ashley?” She asked, looking around and instinctively searching for her way out, just so she had one if she needed. 

Gwen had a terrible feeling about that meeting now, but it was too late. She was already there and alone with Ashley. She never suspected Blake’s ex fiancée, even though she was thinking that maybe she should have. Ashley was Barbara’s daughter after all, and she didn’t really seem like that nice girl Gwen met when she first got to Humberstone. Also, she didn’t like Blake that much anymore, and probably hated her too. 

“There are many things I think you should know.” Ash said, grabbing an overcrowded keychain with a bunch of keys and selecting one of them. “But first, I have something for you.” She got closer to one of the bigger lockers and the key was inserted easily in the lock. A simple click and the door opened. Gwen felt like running when a strong flower smell overcame her senses. Ashley took a medium size box from the locker and placed it on the wooden table in front of the mail boxes. It didn’t seem like it was heavy, she held it with only one hand. “The first thing you need to know is that I’m not a bad person.” She said, her eyes going down to stare at the box. “This is for you.”

Gwen was also staring at the box. It was a simple cardboard box, probably the size of a regular notebook. “What’s this?” She asked.

“It’s for you, I don’t know what’s inside.” Ashley said. A brief silence made the atmosphere even more suspenseful. 

Gwen took a step forward, towards the table. “I’m not opening it.” Her hands rested on the wood, but still far from the box. 

“You have to. He said I had to make sure you opened.” Ashley was harsh for a brief second, but then her eyes widened and she brought her hand up to cover her own mouth. She said too much. 

“He?” Gwen didn’t have to think too much to know exactly who it was about. “George? You’re helping George?” Ashley seemed really alarmed by the mention of that name. She even looked around as if she was searching for someone. Gwen thought the man would show up and attack them anytime soon, but that never happened. “Why, Ash?”

“I didn’t know, ok? I had no idea. It’s your fault, because you never told me.” The girl was whispering now, as if she was afraid someone could hear them. “You were a mystery, I just wanted to check where you were from and what you were running from. You should have told me.”

“What about not sticking your nose in other people’s life? You got it from you mother.” Gwen sighed. “You know who he is now, don’t you? Why are you still helping?”

“I don’t have a choice.” Ashley pushed the box a little more towards Gwen. “Stop asking questions that I can’t answer. Open this box, please. I have to see you doing it.” 

Gwen took a deep breath and another step forward. Her hands finally touched the cardboard. Her fingertips ran across the brown box, testing the temperature and texture, it all seemed ordinary, so then she lifted it off the table, testing the weight too. It was light, almost as if there was nothing inside, but something moved, sliding from one side of the box to the other when Gwen spun it around, trying to see inside of it. There was definitely something inside, something light and impossible to guess, except for the smell. Not only the box, but now the whole basement smelled of flowers. Gwen was even feeling dizzy because of how strong that smell was. She came to the conclusion that it was another one of George’s attempt at communication, and at least this time she knew she could communicate back, because she could use Ashley.

“Open it.” Blake’s ex fiancée slid a small knife over the table. It was easy to notice she was really curious and that meant she really didn’t know what was inside of that box. It could be a trap for both of them and Ashley would be easily fooled too. 

“Fine.” Gwen grabbed the knife and cut the thin tape that was sticking one edge to the other. She also cut the sides. 

The smell got even stronger. Gwen felt her head spin and her stomach clench violently. Still, she went on, opening the flaps of the cardboard box. Inside, all she could see initially were rose petals. The red ones, vivid and velvety. Many of them, perhaps hundreds. But, looking more carefully, she saw that something was hidden beneath them. It looked like a sheet of white paper, a note maybe, or perhaps the bottom of the box. She reached inside of the box, her right hand sinking in the middle of the soft petals, getting deeper and aiming for the white thing at the bottom, until something sharp pierced her skin, making her grunt in pain and pull her hand out of the box again. 

Blood was dripping from the tip of her thumb, and it had a small puncture hole. Immediately Gwen despaired, pondering the thousand horrible things that could have pierced her finger and the hundreds of drugs that could be circulating in her system that second. When it was about George, she could only imagine the worst. Ashley seemed unsettled too when she saw the blood. But as soon as Gwen removed the petals that were above the rest, she could see that there were two whole roses underneath, with stem and everything, as well as its usual thorns.

She lifted one of the roses and took it out of the box. The flower was really beautiful, with its rose bud as red as the blood that dripped from Gwen's finger. The thorns were sharp as knives, the stem and the leaves were so perfectly green that they looked fake, but the texture and the strong smell made clear that the flower was very real.  
Red roses were considered the universal symbol of love. There was usually no doubt in the message to anyone who received or gave a flower like that. But Gwen had learned from George, years ago, that red roses were much more a symbol of desire and passion than anything else. Every time he had to travel for work and they spent a lot of time apart, he gifted her with red roses when he came back, one for each day he was away. They represented his desire for her, the passion, the need to reunite and the longing. She was sure there was a rose there of each day they were apart, even if they were summarized to just petals. And the flowers meant that he was intending to have her back, just like when he was back from his travels.

Without being any more careful with the content, Gwen turned the box upside down on the table and all the roses and petals fell out, just like the piece of white paper at the bottom. She grabbed it, it was exactly what she wanted. The white sheet was now stained with a few drops of her own blood. She thought it would be a small note that would threaten someone or clue her to something, but this time it was much bigger. It was, in fact, a whole letter, which she opened carefully. 

She knew that handwriting too well, and it gave her chills. 

_Hi, my love,  
I can’t measure how much I miss you in words, but I’ve been thinking so much about you lately. About us too.  
I still remember the first time I saw you, sitting on a bar at a New Year’s Eve party with your friends. You were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my entire life. You had the brightest smile in that place and the most delicious laugh too. Just a few seconds watching from afar and I was completely bewitched. We fell in love so quickly, didn't we? That was when I understood true love for the first time, and it was the best time of my life. I felt like I finally had a purpose, like taking care of you and loving you was my reason for living. So we got married and Hope arrived. I never expected to have children, especially not so soon. It was different and crazy, and it scared me, honestly, but I did my part, I stood by you and supported you, and you were so grateful. Hope was the best thing you ever got from life, wasn't she? While I lived the best time of my life when I met you, you lived the best time of yours when our daughter was born. But you were still grateful to me. Thankful for the love we shared, for motherhood, for the life that I had helped you bring to the world. So what changed? I’ve wondered many times what could make you leave me the way you did and I also questioned why you thought you had the right to take Hope with you, when she is as much mine as she is yours. The only conclusion I was able to get to was that you left me for him.  
I write to you today to make a final request and an offer. If you ever loved me, come back home. This is my only request. If you come back, I will leave your friends alone, I will let him live and I will even let you do whatever you want to do with Hope. You can bring her with you if you want or leave her there if you feel like it’s better for her. All I want is you. If I have you, they can live, if I don’t, then I’m not responsible for whatever happens to them, but you are. And he will be the first one. Think about it. _

_You’re mine forever._  
Love,  
George. 

When she finished reading, Gwen released her breath slowly, because she had been holding it for that whole time. She didn't know whether to be more angry or desperate, but the two feelings were fighting fiercely within her. “He wants me to go back home or he will keep hurting people.” She gasped. It wasn’t like she didn’t know he would do that, or like she expected anything different from George, but being threatened like that was way scarier than just imagining what he was capable of. “He said he will start with Blake.”

“You can’t let him hurt Blake.” Ashley looked at her like that was an obvious statement. And it was.

But inside of Gwen, apparently, the anger was winning. “Well, tell him I won’t go anywhere with him.”

“What? Why would you do that?” The other one shook her head in disbelief. “He’s not playing, Gwen.”

“He’s not. Is he?” Gwen’s tone was very sarcastic at that point. “What else do you know about him?”

“I don’t know anything, I just know what he wants and what he’s going to do if he doesn’t get what he wants.” Ashley explained. Her voice had a defensive tone, but she sounded afraid too. “He wants you back and he will hurt everybody if he can’t get you back. You have to do what he wants, Gwen, he’s not joking, you saw what he tried to do to Blake.”

“So if I do what he wants, do you really think he will stop?” Gwen asked, staring at Ashley. She couldn’t believe that woman was that naive. 

“We will only know if we try.” She wasn’t naive, she was desperate. “If you go back with him to California, he will leave us alone.”

“Wake up, Ashley!” Gwen’s voice went a tone up and it made the other one jump scared. “Let me paint the picture for you. I go back to him, he kills me because he can’t control me anymore and that’s no fun. Then he comes back to kill all of you who know too much.” She was scaring Ashley even more, but she didn’t care. “I would be ok with it, because that’s what you get for helping him, but I know that if he comes back, he will hurt Blake and Hope too.”

“He will hurt Blake anyway.” Ashley said, in a very low undertone. “I don’t think Blake has any change.” 

Gwen's stomach clenched in a knot again and she felt sick, but again, the anger overcame any other feeling. “For someone who doesn’t know anything, you know way too much, don’t you, Ashley?” She growled at the other one, her hands closing into fists. “Tell me everything right now.”

“I can’t.” Ashley whined, already regretting everything she had said. “All I know is that he won’t leave us alone and we just can’t stop helping now.” 

“Us who?” Gwen took steps towards Blake’s ex fiancée. “Who else?”

“I can’t tell you!” Ash backed up, almost crying. “If I tell you, he will know. He knows everything even before we say anything.” 

“There’s no way he can know. There’s no one else here, just me and you.” Gwen was finally close enough to hold Ashley’s arm, but the other woman pulled it back fast. “Where is he now? Where does he hide?”

“I don’t know!” This time Ashley really screamed at her. “You’re looking for answers in the wrong place. We don’t know anything. George is too smart and you know it!” The inn owner’s daughter moved away from the other woman and took the necessary steps to get to another door, one that Gwen didn’t even notice before, near the mailboxes. “Please leave.” She opened it.

“He is really smart and you were really dumb to get involved.” Gwen shook her head and got closer to the table. She grabbed the box, the roses, the letter and scooped as many petals inside of the box as she could. She would take it all with her. Then she went to the open door. Outside there were concrete stairs that would take her back to the parking lot. “He’s a liar, you shouldn’t trust anything he says.” She turned her back to Ashley, deciding to leave, but there was one more thing she wanted to say. “There’s one more thing, Ashley. If I go down, I will take you all with me. You won’t just get rid of me and move on with your lives, I promise you that.” 

Ashley heard it, but she didn’t say anything else, she just closed the door and locked Gwen outside, hoping she would keep that last threat out too. She was dealing with too much already. 

  


***

  


Gwen got in that police station moving so fast that nobody had the chance to stop her before she went inside without being invited to do so. A few officers looked at her as she crossed the main desk and file area on the first floor and headed to the stairs. She knew she was being followed because of the voices calling and asking her to stop, but she didn’t stop, in fact, she moved faster, going up the stairs and carrying the cardboard box with her. Upstairs, she looked around really quick until she found the right cubicle office. The sheriff and Matthew were together on Dick’s office and it seemed too perfect to be real. 

Gwen took a deep breath and started moving again as soon as the other officers were almost reaching her. She crossed the hallway and went straight to the glass door. Dick saw her first, and his eyes widened so much that Matthew turned around too. It was gratifying to see the terrified look on the sheriff’s face, as if she were carrying a bomb with her, or maybe something worse.

She pushed the door and entered before anyone had the chance to stop her, then she reached the desk and turned the box upside down, throwing the roses and petals on the table in front of both of them. The only thing she kept to herself was the letter. 

“Here you go.” She said, without any sense of humor. Gwen saw when Dick motioned to the other officers to leave her alone. “If you want to communicate with George, you should try Ashley, she can definitely help you, since she has been helping him.” She said, not missing the opportunity to throw the empty box in Matthew's face. “Actually, you should try Barbara too, and Ashley has a friend called Barrett, maybe you should check him too.” Then she shook her hands in the air and turned around as if she was going to leave, but turned back to them right after. “I’m tired of doing your job. He’s right here under your noses, this is not a joke. Get off your fucking butts.”

And then she turned around to leave. A few police officers were still on the hallway, but none of them touched her. Gwen walked in, did what she wanted to do and walked out. Even if it wasn’t going to help her, at least she got it out of her and did what she needed to to. 

  


***

  


The bright red light was one of the only lights still on in that street that was parallel to the main one in downtown Humberstone. Gwen's hands were holding on tightly to the car’s steering wheel as she was taking deep breaths several times, taking advantage of the brief stop at the red light. Her night had been so hectic that she was feeling physically weak, as if she was ill.

Her cell phone vibrated again on the dashboard, so Gwen looked around quickly. The light was still red and there was no other car around, so she got the device and checked it. It was another text message from Blake.

_Please, I’m really worried. I’m about to go look for you in town._

She punched the car's steering wheel, it was an automatic response to the sudden anger she felt. Where has her head been lately? Gwen had completely forgotten that Blake had tried to call her earlier and texted her, now he was worried and it was one more thing to add on the list of things that were her fault.

_I’m ok. I’ll be home in 15 minutes._

She quickly texted back and when she lifted her head up again, the light was already green and there was a black sedan right behind her car. They didn’t honk or anything. At first, it didn’t seem like something to worry about, but again, it was just because she seemed to be really slow that day. As soon as Gwen started the car, the black sedan behind followed her closely, staying just a few inches apart and following at the same speed. At that moment, Gwen's heart almost stopped due to the realization of what was probably happening. She felt her entire body start to shake and her head spun. The car’s windows were very dark, but it was not difficult to guess who was the person that was following her so close. 

Gwen accelerated, but the sedan behind her did the same. She turned right and he followed, she braked and the black car also slowed down. She knew who that was, no doubt, and she also knew what it meant. It was her turn, George would hurt her now. 

But he just followed her.

A few streets further on, the sedan started to stick to the back of Gwen's car, so close that it touched her back bumper once. She despaired and held her breath again, accelerating even more. The light at the end of the tunnel was a gas station on the corner of the 6th and Arbor Street. Gwen didn’t have to think twice, she slowed down and turned the car to get in. The sedan touched her bumper again, this time a little more abruptly. The car jolted forward, but she managed to brake and stop beside one of the gas pumps.

In the rearview mirror she could still see the black sedan standing in the middle of street, not moving anymore. The dark windows made it impossible for her to confirm her suspicions about who the stalker was, but that wasn't really necessary. She knew it was him. 

Gwen grabbed her cell phone and opened the car door to get out. She stood in the middle of the gas station, guided by a new, crazy, adrenaline rush. From where she was, it was impossible to see the other vehicle’s license plate. The anger inside of her overcame the despair again. “I’m calling the police, George!” She yelled at the car.

The black sedan accelerated without moving, making a loud noise as it forced its engine. Then it slowly started to leave, as if it was all just a warning. Moving forward and turning left at the end of the street.

Gwen felt a wave of relief travel throughout her whole body like a cold chill. Her fingers went numb and her vision blurred completely, gradually becoming dark. She couldn't tell if it was the lack of food or the stress that her body was going through the whole night, added to the recent relief and relaxation, but apparently her blood pressure had just plummeted at once. Her hand gripped the open door of her car as her body seemed to slide slowly towards the concrete ground. She was accepting that she soon would have to deal with a head trauma or at least a really bad bruise when, suddenly, she was being supported and then held by someone strong. 

Gwen forced her eyes to work so she could focus on the individual's face, and she managed to do it just enough to see Barrett's hazel eyes looking right into hers. 

“It’s ok, I’ve got you.” He said.

“No.” Her weak voice tried to protest. “Not you.” 

But it was too late, she couldn’t fight it anymore, her body gave in and Gwen couldn’t see anything anymore. She fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor baby.  
> Don’t hate me too much.


	16. Hospital Halls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again. Are you guys ready?  
> I don’t think so.

Darkness was a comfortable setting after all. In the dark Gwen didn't have to deal with anything bad. It was calm, peaceful and so quiet. She quickly came to the conclusion that perhaps death wouldn’t be so miserable and stressful if it was like that kind of quiet darkness. It was as if death was like a childish fear imposed by others. Why are people born in fear of death if they know nothing about it? At that moment, all Gwen wanted to be able to do was embrace that numbness and give herself comfortably to the arms of that peaceful death. But she wasn’t dying. She couldn’t be.

Gwen’s head quickly started to work again, even though she wasn’t fully conscious yet. She had Hope and Blake and she needed to tell him everything she knew before anything happened to her. She couldn’t just embrace anything when other people needed the information she now had.

Suddenly, her head started to throb with pain as the numbness left her body. Gradually she started to gain her consciousness back, and the first thing she noticed was the strong smell of disinfectant. Gwen groaned softly because of the pain, and her eyelashes fluttered slowly as she struggled to open her eyes. The strong whitish light made her eyes sting a little. She closed them again and then opened very slowly once more, blinking many times. The first thing she saw was a plain white ceiling, but her vision was still blurry. Then she turned her neck slowly and her head hurt some more. The smooth walls were beige and the bed she was lying on was very high. Gradually, her hearing also began to function again, and she heard muffled voices outside and a high-pitched, repetitive noise near her left ear, like a regular whistle.

Gwen groaned again, louder this time, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw something moving fast towards her. She forced her eyes to work and turned her head, finally being able to see Barrett and his worried face, right in front of her.

“No.” She quickly sat up and that was the worst thing she could do. Her head spun so fast that her vision got dark again and she thought she would pass out one more time. 

Barrett held her arms and squeezed both of them. “Gwen, it’s ok, you’re in a hospital. You will be ok.” He said. His voice was just above a whisper, like she was a scared child that needed to be taken care of. 

“A hospital?” Gwen gasped. Now the beige walls and strong alcohol smell made total sense. “What am I doing here? Where’s Blake? I want to go home.” Her eyes were finally working again. She met his gaze. “I don’t want you here.”

“Blake will be here soon, I called him.” Barrett said, letting go of her arms now that she seemed to be adapting to her reality, although she was still very confused.

But that was a mistake. As soon as she was free, Gwen looked around. The noise next to her left ear was from a device measuring her blood pressure, it seemed like, and her right hand had an IV cannula stuck to it, taking some kind of medication or fluids straight to her bloodstream. “What’s this?” She despaired and pulled the bandage with the whole IV out at once, making her hand bleed right away. 

“Hey, don’t do that, you’re hurting yourself.” Barrett was a little disturbed by that scene and it took him a few seconds to decide between helping her or calling a nurse. He ended up choosing the second option and opened the private room’s door to call for someone. “Nurse, please help.” 

“I don’t want you here.” Gwen’s voice broke at the end and she felt the lump in her throat get really tight. She couldn’t even breathe and her hand burned in pain.

“It’s ok, I will leave, let me just get someone to help you, ok?” Barrett was still holding the door open and waiting. He didn’t get close to her and didn’t try to change her mind. He was going to leave if that was what she wanted. 

Soon two nurses appeared at the door at the same time. Both of them walked by him and went straight to Gwen as soon as they realized her situation, physically speaking — with the blood dripping from her recently injured hand — and emotionally too — because of the tears that were now running freely down her face. One of them opened a packet of gauze and cleaned the wound on her hand, while the other checked the devices around her. 

“What is this?” Gwen asked, still holding the dripping IV. 

“That’s just fluids, honey.” The older nurse told her while she was still cleaning her hand. “You were really dehydrated and weak when you got here.” 

“I’m sorry.” She cried, feeling really stupid for making a scene and hurting herself. She wasn’t thinking straight.

“That’s ok, don’t worry.” The woman was finishing the bandage on her hand. Her voice was calm and patient. “All you have to do is rest and you will be ok. The doctor will be here soon to talk to you.”

Barrett stayed until he was sure that Gwen was more relaxed, and then left the room, closing the door behind him. Only a couple of minutes later, the door opened again and a physician came in. A tall woman with very dark brown hair. She didn’t seem much older than her patient. 

By then, Gwen was already lying down again, and the nurse was sticking a new IV to her arm. The other nurse left as soon as the doctor came in, just so the room wasn’t too crowded.

“How are you feeling, Gwen?” The woman asked. “My name is Maddison, I’m taking care of your case tonight.”

“Am I sick, doctor?” She asked, contorting her face the next second, when the needle pierced her skin. 

“No, I don’t think you’re sick, but we still have some tests to run. I want to do it all tonight so you don’t have to come back another day, but first I ordered you your dinner. I want you to eat, ok? You have to eat something.” Doctor Maddison explained while she was getting closer to examine the equipment around her and write something on her chart. 

Gwen just nodded, although she didn’t feel like eating anything. “Can I call someone?” She asked.

“If you want to call Blake, he should almost be here. The guy who brought you in called him as soon as you were admitted.” The physician told her. Of course she knew who Gwen was and knew about Blake too. The small town thing. 

Gwen then relaxed, letting her head sink into the thin hospital pillow. She just needed to wait for Blake and everything would be ok. All she wanted was for him to be there with her. But the doctor still had many things to talk about, good things, bad things and really scary ones. 

  


***

  


Gwen was just stirring the plastic spoon in the middle of the plate, mixing the grilled chicken with the unsalted mashed potatoes. She was alone and bored, but it wasn't that bad for her to eat that hospital food. She had tried a few spoonfuls, but it only made her stomach clench even more. 

Gwen let out a long unhappy sigh and dropped the spoon on the plastic tray in front of her, leaning back against the thin pillow. Right after that, a light knock on the door caught her attention and she quickly turned her neck, just in time to see the handle turn and the door open. Blake put his head inside to look around before anything, and only when he saw her on the bed, he really pushed the door fully open to walk in. 

“Thank God.” He closed the door behind him and quickly got close to her, wrapping his long arms around her body for a tight hug. “I was so worried.”

“Blakey—” Gwen cried and hugged him back, not wanting to ever let go. “Please get me out of here, I want to go home.”

“No, you’re not getting out of here until I’m sure you’re ok.” He told her, being very firm, even though he just wanted to do whatever she wanted him to do. It was always like that, especially when she whined to get what she wanted.

She was going to complain, but more important things filled her head. “Where’s Hope?”

“She’s with my mom.” Blake said.

“Where?” Gwen wanted a more detailed answer on that. 

“Outside, in the waiting room.” He gave her exactly what she wanted. “I wanted to come here first and see how you were before bringing them in. They didn’t gave us any information, just that you were going to be ok.” Blake let go of the hug so he could look at her. His hands held both sides of her face and he leaned down for a quick kiss. “Hope is fine. They’re with Matthew and Barrett is there too.” 

She didn’t know if the mention of those two names made her relax or more worried. “I had the craziest conversation with Ashley. She’s one of the people helping George, do you believe that?” 

“What? Ashley?” He shook his head. Yes, Blake had mentioned Ashley as a suspect before, but he never really believed she could do something like that, and he honestly hoped she hadn’t. “So that’s why she was talking like she knew everything about you and your past when I broke up with her. That’s just too bad. She used to be a really good person.”

“I don’t think she’s completely bad, I just think she ended up involved.” Gwen honestly said. “Which was very dumb of her. But now I’m certain about Barbara. She’s got to be involved too. And I wonder about Matthew and Barrett and everyone in this town.”

“Hey, wait. Matt?” Blake looked confused. “Matt wouldn’t get involved with a man like George, he’s a police officer.” He said.

“Please, Blake.” She rolled her eyes. “You can’t be that naive. The guy would throw me on George’s lap if he could, just so I would leave town.”

“Matt is my friend, Gwen, I’ve known him since we were kids.” He protested, but was honestly thinking about it in the back of his mind. “What about Barrett? He brought you here. He said that he found you fainting in a gas station after what looked like a car accident.”

“I know.” Gwen was also thinking. “When I saw him I thought I was lost and that I was going to wake up and George would have me, but no. Here I am, so maybe Barrett is actually not in it.”

“I don’t think he’s in it.” Blake was still standing next to her and holding her right hand while they talked.

“What was he doing here, though? He’s not from here.” She was still trying to understand something, even though nothing seemed to make any sense. 

“Let’s not think about it right now.” He sighed. After all those uneasy hours, he finally had her back in his arms, but was still so worried. “What happened to you?” He asked, running his fingers carefully over the bandage on her right hand. “Where did you go?”

Gwen felt her heart getting tighter, but she promised herself that she wouldn’t lie to him anymore. “Ashley called and she wanted me to meet her. She asked me not to tell you anything and I didn’t. I’m sorry.” She stopped just to look at him, but soon proceeded. “She had a package from George to me. It had red roses and a letter inside. I have the letter in my car, you can read it when we’re home.” She kept telling him everything. “Wait, where’s my car?”

“Matthew has it. He will take it home after he finishes checking it.” Blake told her, already regretting allowing that. “The back was a little smashed, but I can fix it.”

“Oh, yeah, I was getting to that part.” She sighed, knowing he would get even more worried now. “When I left Barbara’s place and was coming back home, George followed me closely and he hit the back of my car a couple of times, but it didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt me, I think he just wanted to scare me.”

Gwen saw when Blake's face completely frowned and he let an angry sigh escape his lips. She knew him well enough to know that he was wishing he could hurt George. “I’m sorry.” His hand touched her face again and he caressed her skin. “But you look good. Did he hurt you? Did he touch you?”

“No.” She quickly denied. “I didn’t even see him, I just know it was him. I saw the gas station and was trying to get shelter. He left and I just passed out. The last thing I remember was Barrett holding me.”

Blake was paying full attention to her and feeling like she was finally telling him everything and it was good for both of them. They really needed to have better communication. “You fainted? What happened, are you sick?”

“No, I’m not sick.” Gwen shook her head, but then stopped to look right at him. “I’m… pregnant.”

“What?” Blake had heard it, it just took him longer to understand it. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I mean, pretty sure.” She finally felt like the weight of the world was off her shoulders. “The doctor had me take a the urine test, it was a very fast result, but the blood test will take a couple of days.” She explained. “It all makes sense now, though, the strong smells bother me, I’m so tired all the time, my period has been missing for a while and I’ve been feeling sick since your car wreck. I’m sure I’m pregnant, I was just too distracted to notice.”He got closer to her and his arms wrapped around her body one more time. He squeezed her tightly and she finally sob. He knew that was coming. “I’m sorry.” She cried. 

“Please don’t be. You don’t have to be sorry.” He kissed the top of her head and then her forehead. “It’s ok, we’re going to have a baby. I know what you’re thinking about and I know what you’re feeling, but we will figure it out.”

“No. No we won’t.” She was fully crying now, with her face hiding in his chest while he hugged her. “It’s a baby, Blake. It’s our baby in the middle of all this. We were so reckless and selfish to let this happen now.” Gwen was already sobbing uncontrollably and even their embrace wasn’t comforting her anymore. “Can you imagine what George is going to do when he finds out?”

“Nothing.” Blake let go of the hug so he could hold her chin up and lift her face, so she would look at him. It was really difficult to stare into her red crying eyes and not hug her again. “He won’t touch you anymore. I’m done with this. I’ll help Matt and the police, we will make Ashley and Barbara talk and we will get George and throw him in jail forever. And you will be with me all the time. We will get through this together as a family and I will protect you, ok? Nothing will happen to you, Hope or the baby.” He kissed her forehead again, feeling the lump in his throat get really tight. “Do you trust me?”

Gwen softy sobbed, but she nodded. “I trust you.” She whispered to him. “I’m just so scared.”

“I know, I am too.” Blake confessed while wrapping his arms around her once again. His urge to protect her was never stronger than it was right at that moment. “But I love you, and I already love this baby more than anything I’ve ever loved in my life.” He caressed her back slowly and tenderly. “We will get through this.”

“Together we will.” She said it out loud, trying to believe in it, but she couldn’t. She took a deep breath, trying to contain her emotions that were, more than ever, all over the place. 

It was the worst time for the best news, but it was done and all they could do now was deal with it. Blake made Gwen eat the unsalted hospital food and talked to her doctor before finally agreeing to take her home. As soon as they got to the house, with Dorothy and Hope, the long night was over. The little girl was already sleepy and the three of them ended up together in Blake’s bed once again. They feel asleep deeply really fast, and it was like their problems vanished, at least for a few hours. 

  


***

  


Gwen opened her eyes slowly the next morning. Her arms stretched out in both directions, but she didn’t find anyone beside her in bed. She was still in Blake's room and the temperature under the covers was very comfortable, but she decided to sit up anyway. The clock on the nightstand read 6:15 am while Gwen stretched her whole body, putting her arms up and moving her neck to both sides. She had slept well and was completely rested, so her head didn't hurt anymore. Her hand still had a bandage and a really bad bruise under it, because of the way she pulled the IV out, but it wasn’t bothering her, different from her stomach that was still very upset. She had a very comfortable pregnancy with Hope, but could already tell that one was going to be way different.

From a distance, Gwen could hear the muffled voices of Blake and Hope in some other room around, so she ended up getting out of bed to see what the two of them were doing and if the girl was already getting ready for school. She put on her robe that hung behind the door and made her way down the short hallway. As soon as she left the bedroom, she realized the voices were coming from the common bathroom on the same floor, so she headed there. 

“Ok, now right upper side. Brush it really good.” His muffled voice said, with difficulty since he had a toothbrush in his mouth and a lot of toothpaste foam. “Then we go down and brush the bottom right. Don’t forget any teeth.”

Hope was right by his side, Gwen saw as soon as she got close enough to lean against the bathroom’s door frame. The girl had a bright pink dress on and her hair was up in a ponytail, with a matching bow in it. The most important detail, however, was the fact that Hope was standing on a little wooden stool that Gwen had never seen before. She had no doubt that Blake had woken up early and built that stool so that the little girl could stand on it and reach the sink in the common bathroom, and also look at herself in the mirror.

“Brushing the far right bottom teeth.” Hope said, with the same muffled voice and difficulty, while she brushed her teeth as excited as she could be. 

It took him a second to notice Gwen was there, just standing and looking at them.

“Ok, time to spit it out.” Blake said, doing it first, and the girl followed him. 

He filled his hand with water and put it in his mouth to rinse. Hope did the same thing. Then he rinsed her face and dried it with a soft towel, just before helping her getting down from the stool. 

“Good morning, mommy.” Hope only noticed her mom there when she turned around and saw her. 

“Good morning, my little bunny. Did you sleep well?” She asked her daughter while bending down to kiss her face. “You look so pretty. Are you ready for school?”

“Yeah. Blakey let me choose what I wanted to wear to school today.” The girl excitedly said. 

“You did a great job, baby.” Gwen smiled and caressed Hope’s face. 

“Go get your lunch ready with Dot. She’s waiting for you.” Blake said. Hope nodded and kissed her mother’s face one more time before running downstairs. “Don’t run.” He said, just because he was already used to saying it. She never listened. “I swear kids can’t just walk normal.” 

Blake approached Gwen and she threw her arms around his neck. “Did you do her hair?” She asked, giggling. 

“Yes, I did it by myself. Is it really bad?” He wasn’t sure.

“It’s perfect.” Gwen smiled and pulled him in for a kiss. Their lips touched just for a little while. “You taste so good, come here.” Then she grabbed the back of his neck and turned the kiss into a intense one, with tongues dancing and breaths getting mixed. But even that was over after a few seconds and they just stayed quiet, with their foreheads pressed against one another and Blake’s lips kissing the corner of her mouth. “You will be an amazing father.” She whispered to him, with her eyes closed. Speaking straight from her heart. “You already are.”

Blake smiled. He kissed her lips once more, before kneeling in front of her in a way that his face was level with her belly. “Did you hear that? I don’t mean to brag, but you have an amazing dad waiting for you here. And your mom is so beautiful and so smart that I can only imagine how perfect you’re going to be.”

Gwen laughed. She wasn’t used to that, and it seemed funny and insane, but it was also very sweet and heartwarming. “I love you.” She said as she was caressing his hair. 

He had the side of his face pressed against her belly as if he was trying to hear the baby. But he soon got up, to plant a long tender kiss on her face. “Why don’t you stay home and rest today? I will take Hope to school, check on your car and be right back. My mom will stay home cooking and you guys can keep each other company.” 

“Really? Will you do that for me?” She pressed her her face against his chest just so he would wrap his arms around her again, and that was exactly what he did. “I don’t really want to show up at her school for now, after what happened.” 

“Yeah, I will take her, don’t worry.” Blake kissed her forehead. “I think you should call Kelly later, or any other friend, and have a normal day. Do something fun, you know? Just make sure you’re never alone.”

“I’ll try, I promise.” Gwen promised. That was another thing she wasn’t used to. When she got pregnant with Hope, George wouldn’t even let her go to the doctor by herself. “Did you tell your mom anything?” They let go of the hug just to walk side by side down the stairs. 

“About the baby? No. How do you want to do it?” He asked.

“We could tell her together, when you come back.” She said.

“She will be crazy happy, I’m sure.” Blake smiled as they got downstairs. “I’m just sorry my dad won’t get to meet our baby.”

It was Gwen’s turn to wrap her arm around him, but there wasn’t really anything she could say, so they just made their way to the kitchen in silence. Their embrace making it clear that they were together in it, for whatever was to come. 

  


***

  


She must have fallen asleep again after lunch. She woke up with her body aching, that was how heavy she had slept. The sun coming in through the crack in the curtains seemed strong, even though she knew the weather outside was probably still very cold. Gwen lazily stretched and promised herself that she would stop napping so much that day, or she wouldn't be able to sleep at night. She felt all of her muscles protest as she stretched them. The stress she had experienced the previous night had caused them some serious muscles rigidity. She turned over in bed slowly, to stretch the other side of her body, but as she did it, she came face to face with something that shouldn't be there, and that, in fact, it wasn't there before: A flower.

It was a purple Orchid Flower, so big and beautiful as any other flower George had ever left them, with the difference that that one was left right next to her while she was sound asleep, which meant he had just been too close to her, dangerously close, and possibly was still around. Gwen sat up quickly, looking around, but she was alone in the bedroom. It didn’t take long for her to remember Dorothy. She wasn’t alone at home and there was no way Blake’s mother would let any stranger come inside. She started to fear for Dorothy’s life, while crossing the small hallway upstairs, towards the stairs.

Gwen focused on the flowers meaning. In ancient Greece, Orchids were associated with virility and fertility. He knew it. George already knew she was pregnant. 

She stopped in the middle of the stairs because of the unmistakable noise of a wooden floor board creaking downstairs. She was still protected, hiding behind the wall, but discreetly peeked from behind it to look down at the first floor of the house. What she saw there made her loudly gasp and almost pass out: Dorothy was laying on the living room floor, on her belly, and there was blood next to her head. Gwen felt weak. She took both of her hands to cover her mouth, trying to muffle her terrified scream. Her knees almost failed her, but she held on. The phone in her robe’s pocket started to ring really loud, breaking the silence in the worst way. She heard the creepy creaking sound again and grabbed the device to silent it. Her heart was beating so loud that she couldn’t hear. The number on her phone’s screen wasn’t what she expected. It was an unknown number with a California area code. It was George.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course it wouldn’t be just cuteness. You gotta keep your head in the game.


	17. Uncaring place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back with more craziness for you.
> 
> Are you guys ready?

Gwen stared at that phone for a long time. Too long, or perhaps for no time at all, she couldn’t tell, she had lost track of time. The phone in her hand rang again. She quickly hit the mute button. She was in shock, completely disoriented, her breathing was heavy and her whole body was shaking with nervousness. Gwen felt sick, as if she was about to throw up, but regardless of anything she was feeling, the scary truth was that she had no idea what she should do. 

All of the sudden, she was brought back from her own thoughts by the loud and frightening sound of a door slamming downstairs. She took a deep breath and slid her finger on the phone’s screen to answer the call, bringing the device to her ear. That was the only thing Gwen could do now, and she promised she would communicate with him. 

Silence. That was all she heard at first, and then a low breathing sound made the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. She was sure the person on the other side could hear her too. 

“Why are you doing this?” She whispered, not really expecting anyone to say anything back. 

“I want what’s mine back.” His voice made her whole body tremble. It had been a long time since she last heard that voice, and it brought back horrible memories. It was George, no doubt about it. “It feels so good to hear your voice so close to my ear again. It’s been a long time, my love.” 

“Please, George.” Gwen cried. “Nothing here is yours, I’m not a thing you can own.”

“Of course you are.” He said. His voice had a calm tone to it, as if nothing she was saying could get to him, or like it was nothing but a regular conversation between old friends. “I married you, remember? You were nothing and I made you my wife. You’re still my wife, so that means you had no right to leave me. I want my life back, it’s simple.”

Still with the phone on her ear, Gwen took advantage of the silence on the first floor, and the newest wave of bravery inside of her, and went down some of the stairs, slowly and still very attentive. “I’m not coming back.” She said to him.

“That’s unfortunate, my love.” George was still acting calm. “I’ll take Hope then, she’s also mine. I was just at her school and I saw when she got there with him. She was so beautiful in that pink dress. She looks more and more like you everyday that goes by and—”

“Stop!” She interrupted him when she stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “What do you want me to do? Do you want me to go back home? I will. Just leave her alone. Leave both of them alone.” Gwen begged. “I will do whatever you want, but you have to promise you won’t hurt them.” 

“See, babe? I always knew you would understand that you don’t have another option here. You have to come back to me.” He seemed really pleased by what she said, it was something she could even hear in his voice. “Come back home and I won’t touch them.” He accepted her request easily as he promised that. “All I want is you. I told you in the letter. But you need to get rid of this baby of adultery. I don't want it. If you don’t do it, I will.”

And just like that, Gwen knew that her baby had no chance at all. Of course, she wouldn’t hurt the baby in her womb, but she knew very well that, when she gave herself to George, he would make her pay for all those months she was away from him, and she would lose her baby regardless. That if he didn't get rid of her in the end too, which he probably would do. Gwen wanted to ask for a few more months, so maybe she would be able to deliver that child before she went back to George, but she knew that her husband would never let her control anything. That game was his and would happen the way he wanted. So she had no answer to that, she didn't even want to say anything. Instead of agreeing or disagreeing with all that he requested, all she did was hang up the phone. She didn't need George terrifying her and making demands on her life at that moment, not when she was looking at Blake's mother's unconscious body.

“Dot?” She got closer to the woman on the floor and knelt down beside her. The first thing she did was touch her neck to try to feel her pulse, but as soon as she did that, Dorothy grunted and moved slightly. That scared Gwen and almost made her scream, but instead, she just held Dorothy’s hand and squeezed to let her know she was right there with her. “Oh my God. Don’t move, Dot, I’ll call the police.” 

Gwen stood up and looked around quickly while she dialed 911 on her phone. The kitchen’s sliding door, which gave access to the deck and the backyard, was open, but it didn't seem like there was anyone else inside, except both of them. 

Against Gwen’s requests, Dorothy rose her body to sit on the floor. “My head hurts really bad.” She said and touched the back of her head, feeling her hair wet, but it was easy to figure out what it was, especially when she saw her bloodstained fingers and palm. “I’m bleeding. Oh my God.”

“It’s going to be ok, Dot, they’re coming for you.” Gwen said, already in the other room, looking for a clean cloth, as the person on the phone asked her to do while waiting for the ambulance, but upon entering, the first thing she saw was a flower on the kitchen table. An Orchid, just like the one she had found beside her on the bed. But next to the flower there was a picture of an ultrasound. It was not her baby, not the one she was currently growing, at least. It was Hope.

Upon thinking, she decided not to touch it yet, even though it was a clear threat to her daughter. She needed to focus on Dorothy at the moment, so she went back to the living room. “Here, Dot. I’ll press it against the wound so maybe we can stop the bleeding, ok? It will probably hurt a little.” Gwen said, as she was positioning herself behind the other woman. She put the clean cloth to the back of Dorothy’s head and pressed the wound. 

Dot groaned but didn’t protest, so Gwen applied as much pressure as she could, while holding her forehead too. “I don’t feel really good, Gwen.” Blake’s mother said. She wasn’t really fully conscious. It was like she was in and out and Gwen wasn’t sure if that was because of the blood loss or the contusion in her head. All that was left to do was wait for the ambulance arrival and pray that Dorothy would be ok. 

“I’ve got you. I’m right here with you. You will be ok.” She said to Dot, just to maybe give her some form of comfort. Dorothy had done that for her so many times before, especially in the worst times. Gwen couldn't even say how much that woman meant to her since she came into their lives. One thing was obvious, she would never forgive herself for what happened to Dorothy because of her, regardless of the outcome. She should have been much more careful with the people she loved. Gwen knew that now. 

  


***

  


“Where’s Ashley?” Blake busted in the inn’s door as if he was in a hurry and he didn't look friendly at all. He had just come from the police station and wasn’t just going to wait until they decided to investigate that.

“What are you doing here?” Barbara was the one sitting at the reception desk. “I don’t think Ashley wants to see you at all. There’s no point in looking for her now, you’ve made the mistake already.”

“I'm not looking for her the way you would like me to be, but if I can't talk to Ashley right now, I'm going to make a scene and tell the whole town how she's helping a criminal.” He said, showing no patience or empathy, and also not worrying about being quiet or discrete. Some people around even looked at them. “And I will tell them about you too.”

“Hey, calm down. Watch your temper. You were never like this, you’re just turning into someone else and it shows.” Barbara took a deep breath and brushed the air with her hand. “Ashley is back there, at the restaurant. Since your girlfriend made a scene, I can’t get anyone to work here.” She complained.

“That’s your own fault.” It was all Blake said before he turned around to leave Barbara alone and made his way to the inn’s restaurant.

Everything inside looked exactly like it was when he used to be there all the time, both when he was dating Ashley and when he started going there because of Gwen. The only difference was that it was much quieter. Even the restaurant had less than half of the customers it used to have, even for that time of the year. It didn't take long for him to spot Ashley there. She was serving customers in the usual black uniform, with the white lace collar. It took her a few more minutes, but she also noticed him there, and when she did, her face turned into a mix of resentment and fear, because she was sure he already knew everything and also was still mad at him.

“What are you doing here, Blake?” Ashley approached him with a not so friendly look. “I told Gwen I didn’t want anything to do with you.”

“Gwen didn’t send me here. She doesn’t even know I’m here.” He said. “And you know why I’m here. I need to know everything about George and what you’re doing for him.” Blake went straight to the point because there was no need for friendly chat anymore. At that point he didn’t even consider Ashley as a friend anymore. “Where is he? What is he planning?”

“I don’t know anything. I already told Gwen what I know and it’s not much. I can’t say anything else.” She turned around to leave him, because that conversation was not interesting for her anymore, and that was definitely not the place for it. But he followed her. “If you want advice, I would tell you to just stay out of it.”

“I don’t believe you, not even for a second.” Blake walked right behind her from the hallway to the kitchen. “I know you know more and just don’t want to tell me. I will figure it out by myself, that’s fine, but know that I will tell the whole town what you and your mom are doing.”

“We’re not doing anything.” Ashley turned around and pushed Blake away, with her hands on his chest. “Go away! You can’t even be here.” 

Javier, the cook, and the other guy that Blake didn’t know were staring at them, but they didn’t do anything. The whole town knew about the drama going on between them and no one really wanted to be in it. 

Blake just looked at Ashley as if she was crazy, but didn’t do anything either, didn’t even move at all, until his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out, still staring at Ashley, but he forgot about everything and picked it up when he saw Gwen’s name on his screen. 

“Hey, what—” Blake was going to ask what was wrong, but Gwen started first and was talking faster than he could understand on the other side of the line. “Ok, hang on, calm down, I can’t understand you.” He said, pressing the phone closer to his ear. “What? But where are you guys now?” He waited for and answer. “Ok I’m on my way, I will be right there.” He promised right before hanging up the phone. 

“What happened?” Ashley asked, as if she had just turned into a old friend that was worried about his family. 

Blake didn’t buy it. “If something happened, it was your fault, don’t forget that. And I will be back for you. Just wait. I’m very tired of this game.” But he didn’t have time at the moment, he needed to go find Gwen and figure out what had happened to them, because the phone call was really bad and he couldn’t understand a word of what she said, besides that she was with his mother and that they were at the Humberstone Memorial Hospital.

Blake didn’t even know how worried he should be. He was just hoping they were all safe at that point.

  


***

  


It didn't even seem like Gwen had left that hospital the night before, because she was already back in that cold, uncaring hallway, and feeling worse than the last time. 

She was wearing a sweatshirt over her pajamas, because it was the only thing she managed to get to fast enough and it was easy to wear. The rain boots were the first shoes she found on the way out, and she put them on when the paramedics were taking Dorothy to the ambulance. So she ended up wearing a gray sweatshirt, a pair of red pajama pants and yellow rain boots. But it wasn't like Gwen had time to care about anything else when Dot was in a hospital bed and hurt like that.

It didn't take Blake more than 10 minutes to get to the hospital and a few extra minutes to find the right room. He didn't even have to look for the door, because as soon as he reached the correct corridor, he spotted Gwen outside, leaning against the hospital wall and staring at the dark gray floor. It was like he could see her thinking about something, just didn’t know what. She didn't look well at all, and it made Blake's heart sink, first because he started to think of the thousand reasons why they might have ended up there, and secondly because the absence of his mother was too distressing. The math there was quick and easy, and it was unfortunate. 

“What happened to her?” Blake breathlessly asked when he got closer. His heart almost stopped when he saw that her hands were stained with dry red blood.

Gwen was so distracted that she only noticed he was there when he spoke to her. “Blake—” She started saying, but quickly realized she didn’t know what to say at all. “I’m not really sure, but it was George.”

“What did he do?” His arms wrapped around her, and she was already shaking. He needed to know and wanted her to get to the point fast, even though he knew he needed to comfort her at the same time. “Please Gwen, what did he do to her?” Blake let go of the hug so he could look at Gwen. He held both her arms and started touching her, looking for any possible injury where that blood might have come from. “Did he touch you? Did he hurt you too?”

“No.” She quickly shook her head. “I didn’t even see him.”

He was already imagining the worst. From all the possibilities, he never really thought something had happened to his mother, and now he was blaming himself for not being there for her, for leaving them alone and taking even more time than necessary outside. He should’ve been with them and at home. 

“Somebody was there. They were inside of the house. I took another nap after lunch because I’m so freaking tired all the time, and when I woke up she was already hurt.” Gwen was crying. He could say whatever he wanted to her, but nothing would change the fact that she knew she was to blame. “Her head was split open and she was on the floor. I called the ambulance and she was conscious when we left the house, but the doctors put her to sleep while they stitched her up and said they will only know how she really is when she wakes up.” She said it all at once because she knew he wanted her to be very clear and fast about it. “I’m so sorry.”

There was a large glass window besides the bedroom door and that was the first time Blake noticed that the person lying on the bed, inside, was his mother. He then let go of Gwen and approached the room’s door to walk in. He wasn’t sure he could do that, but he did. After a few seconds, Gwen followed him and closed the door behind her. Dorothy didn't look too bad, although she was clearly very pale and with a tired expression. She seemed to be asleep, resting from a very tiring day, perhaps. Blake just hoped she would wake up at some point. 

He held his mother’s hand. “She will be ok.” He said, out loud, but it was more to himself than to anyone else, even though his other hand looked for Gwen’s beside him, and he squeezed it a little. “We can tell people she fell, so we won’t have problems with anyone blaming it on you.”

Gwen looked at him with wide eyes, not believing what she was hearing. “What do you mean? We can’t just pretend nothing happened. Somebody was inside of the house, Blake. I don’t think you understand that. They hurt your mother.”

“I know, but what good will come from people knowing what happened and pointing fingers?” Blake turned to his side to look at her. “I will take care of this. I will hunt George down and get him to the police. I will make Ashley talk.”

She was still looking at him, without blinking and without believing. It was very clear for her that he was in shock and wasn’t really thinking straight and that was the only reason why he could ever think that what he was saying made any sense. Gwen decided that she needed to get straight to the point with him, but also very careful, after all, his mother was in a hospital bed and she was all the blood family he still had. 

“The police already know.” She told him, but her hands went up his arms and she caressed him. “I called Matthew and told him everything that happened.”

“Why did you do that?” Blake seemed really bothered by what she said. He definitely wasn’t completely himself. It all was just too much for him to process and deal with. 

“Because there was a person inside of the house, Blake.” Gwen repeated it, her voice went a tone up this time. “They needed to look for whoever it was. I don’t think it was George because he was on the phone with me. Maybe it was Ashley or Barbara.”

“It wasn’t Ashley, I went to see her at the inn today. I wanted to make her talk about George and where he is.” He said. “George called you? What did he said.”

“He wants me to go back home, and he knows about the baby.” She put her hand inside of the big pocket in front of her sweatshirt and took the ultrasound picture out, showing it to him. Blake got it in his hands to look at it. “That’s Hope. I made her a scrapbook when I was pregnant, just for the memories and maybe so she could see it one day. It had many of those.” Then she grabbed it from his hand and turned it around. Behind it, there was a quick and straightforward message: You don’t need two babies. “He’s aiming at Hope again. I have to do something.” 

“We will, ok? Did you call the school? Is she ok?” He got closer to her again so he could hug her one more time. Gwen nodded to confirm she had check on Hope and that she was ok. But he was still looking at the picture that was again in his hands. That helpless kid in the confusing ultrasound picture was Hope. The girl he now knew so well, and that still needed adults for everything, so Blake understood that protective instinct Gwen had with her, he felt the same way too. “We will protect her.”

“No, we can’t.” Gwen cried, still holding on to him because it just felt like letting go was going to rip her apart. For obvious reasons, she knew that he wouldn’t like what was to come. “We can’t even protect ourselves. I need to do something.”

Blake slowly let go of the hug to look at her. “What are you talking about?”

“I have a plan.” She confessed, looking at him now. “But I need your help.”

“What is it?” He felt that need to hear whatever it was fast and at once, like he did when he got there and wanted to know about his mother.

Gwen knew that it didn’t matter how she would put it into words, Blake wouldn’t like it, so she just said it as it was. “I will have to go back to George, but I need you to keep Hope with you, I don’t want her there.”

It took him a couple of seconds to process that sentence, it was like she could see him slowly getting to the simple conclusion. “What? You’ll go back to him?”

“I have to. He won’t stop. Blake, he just hurt your mom!” Gwen could see in his face how hurt and scared he was, it was obvious. “I can’t live like this anymore, with this guilt and this heavy feeling that I’m ruining everybody’s life.” 

“But you said you’d stay with me and that we would face it together.” Blake was still slow processing it and he couldn’t believe what she was saying. He couldn’t figure out why she would ever consider going back to that man. “He will kill you.” He finally got to the conclusion. “You said that if he put his hands on you, you would be dead.” 

She couldn't help crying when she saw his eyes fill with tears. There was not much else to say. “I’m asking you to, please, protect Hope. You promised.” Gwen reminded him.

Blake understood that conversation was something that should have happened some time ago, but it was just happening at that moment because there was no way to escape it anymore. The mention of the promise she made him make months ago made clear that Gwen had always known that was the only possible outcome for that story. She was giving up because she had anticipated it, no matter how much she tried to make it go any other way.

That conversation was not open for discussion. It wasn’t something to be decided. It was her goodbye. “No!” He shook his head. “No, you can’t do that. I won’t let you.” Blake was crying too, and it was killing her. She had never seen him fully cry like that before.

“Please.” Gwen’s weak voice pleaded. “Take care of Hope for me. It will be so much more difficult if you don’t keep your promise. Please?”

“No, I don’t care about this promise.” He was starting to get really mad. It wasn’t fair. “You’re being very selfish.”

But she wasn’t and he knew it. She was the complete opposite of selfish. “That’s ok. I will figure it out, then. Thanks.”

“No, you’re not doing it.” Blake raised his voice and took a step forward, causing Gwen to step back quickly. The automatic defense of her body worked perfectly as it always had before, and she crossed both arms in front of her own face, closing her eyes shut. It didn't take long for him to realize that the minimal authoritarianism he had shown was enough to scare her, because of her past. He felt like the worst person when he saw the way she squirmed against the wall. “Hey, I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry, I will never hurt you.” He wrapped his arms around her again, even though he wasn’t sure he should.

Gwen threw her arms around his neck and their embrace became a tight one. She cried for long minutes while he was in silence, then she laid her head on his chest, because she couldn’t reach his shoulder. Blake caressed her back and she breathed deeply to normalize her breathing while in his arms.  
She knew he would never hurt her, she knew that he didn’t mean to scare her and knew that in another situation, they would probably be together forever and be the kind of couple that people would say was made for each other. In another universe, but not in that one.

“I have to let you go.” She whispered. Her head still laying on his chest.

“What?” He whispered back. His heart was already hurting.

“I’m breaking up with you.” Gwen stated. Her voice breaking into a sob at the end. “I’m setting you free.” That was the only way, she knew it.

“Please, don’t do this.” Blake’s arms tightened around her body. Letting her go would hurt too much, so he decided he wouldn’t do it. “You’re only doing it so I will let you go back there and get hurt. Forget it, I won’t let you do that.” 

“I have to, Blake. It’s the only way.” At that point, they were both crying again, and holding on to each other like their lives depended on that. “I have to end this.”

“But our baby?” It was too painful to talk about that. His voice was just a little above a whisper. He felt like life gave him everything at once, just to take it away the next day. “Please, stay with me. I love you.”

“I love you too, that’s why I’m letting you go.” Gwen said, and softly sobbed. She was still laying on his chest and holding on to him, because she just couldn’t look at him. “You have to focus on the rest of your life now. You still have so much to do with your life.”

“Gwen, please stop!” Blake tried to hold her, but she was able to let go of that hug, even though it seemed like it was hurting her whole body.

“I have to go.” She whispered and turned around.

“Wait.” He carefully held her arm. “What if we don’t see each other anymore?” And just like that she saw the fear in his face expressions once again. 

Gwen turned back around, taking the necessary steps towards him. Her left hand, that wasn’t dirty, touched Blake's wet face affectionately, caressing his skin with her fingertips. She looked at him as if she needed to memorize every detail of his face, as tears went freely down her own face. “Don't remember me like this. Remember when we met and you showed us the town. Remember that afternoon at the lake, with the weak sunlight hitting our faces. Remember the way we smiled at each other that day. Remember that night in the kitchen, when we kissed for the first time. Remember how intense and strong our love is, because it will last forever.”

“I will never be able to forget it.” Blake sobbed. He wanted to beg her to stay, or even tie her up somewhere if necessary, but he knew he couldn’t, so he just closed his eyes and touched her lips with his for, supposedly, a last time. They exchanged a sad kiss, with breaths altered by their crying and hands touching wet faces. The lumps in the throats were equally tight when they broke the kiss and their foreheads touched slightly. Both still with their eyes closed. “Let Hope stay with me. Let me protect her and keep a piece of you. I will keep my promise.” He said.

Gwen knew this was the best way out for her, but she didn't know if it would be the better option for Blake and Dorothy, even though George had promised not to touch them if she came back to him. She didn't trust that man and was afraid that he would come back to get revenge on Blake and take Hope from him. Perhaps, if the two of them left his life completely, he would have a chance. Gwen would think about that later, after all, she was the one who insisted on that promise, but for now, there was no way she could decide anything else that painful, she was already feeling broken into small pieces.

Blake was broken, too, but more painful than hearing her letting him go was knowing the fate that awaited her if she really would go back to California, and the fact that there was nothing he could do about it if it was her choice. He still hadn't given up on making her change her mind about that, even though he was letting things go the way she wanted, for the moment.

When she let go of his arms and took steps back, it was painful like pulling off a band aid at once, but it was not something temporary, that would go away with time. The pain settled permanently in Blake's heart, and it was repeated when they looked at each other with farewell glances, then again when Gwen opened the door to leave the hospital room. And when she actually left and closed it, his knees became weak and Blake was unable to hold on until he reached the chair, his body bent forward and he knelt on the floor, hiding his face on the edge of the bed where his mother was laying. The crying came from the depths of his soul, and it was uncontrollable now that he was alone. And that was exactly how he felt and would feel forever: Completely alone. Sabotaged by the life that had given him everything and then ripped it from his arms, without mercy. He had lost Gwen, his mother was in a hospital bed, with many uncertainties lurking around her, and he didn't even know if he would ever see Hope again. 

His life went from a summer breeze to a winter storm, and Blake couldn’t see any way out of the bad blizzard. Actually, at that moment, he wished he could just freeze to death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to thank each one of you. I love writing this story and I only continue to do so for you, regardless of how crazy things are outside.  
> Thank you so much for following this crazy story with me.


	18. One bedroom apartment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you guys ready?  
> You already know what to do, which is not to expect anything happy and good. Hahahhaha
> 
> But before anything else, you should pay CLOSE ATTENTION to details in this one. Good luck!

“I really think you’re doing the right thing.” Matthew said, in an undertone. “After what happened to Dorothy, we couldn’t just keep doing what we were doing.”

“You weren’t doing anything, that’s the problem. You still aren’t.” The only reason Gwen was there was because she had no where else to go and no one else to trust, since she didn’t want Blake involved in all that anymore. Plus, she needed to leave Blake’s house because he was going home with Dorothy and she didn’t want to be in their way. And he was the one who told her to trust Matthew in the first place. “Can we go over the plan again?”

“Sure.” He sighed, quickly looking around as if he was making sure the men in the other office cubicles were not paying attention to them. “You go back and I give you three days to fool him and pretend you’re back at home with him. After three days, if you haven’t come back yet, I contact the Sun Valley police with all the information about the case and they go look for you. If he hurt you, they’ll catch him in the act and he goes to jail. You’ll be the proof. I mean, your body.” He fumbled with the words. “The bruises and all.”

“That’s if he keeps me at home. There are a few other places I want you to tell the police about.” She opened her purse and took a brown folder out of it. She opened it and it had all the information she had on George. All that she could remember or had somewhere. She separated two papers and gave it to Matthew. “George has a cabin in the mountains, in a town called Markleeville, in California. The address is here. We used to spend the holidays there. It’s a quiet and remote place, he might go there if he thinks the house isn’t safe. Also, his parents live in Los Angeles, I put the address there too, but I don’t think he will go there, their relationship is not the best. They have a house up north too, I wrote down the address because George has the keys to that place too and they never go there.” She slid the folder over the table to him. 

“Ok, that’s great. This is a great plan.” Matthew opened the folder and flipped through its pages. “Three days is all you have to put up with once you get there. If you do everything the way we planned and don’t try to be smarter than him, everything will work out.”

“Don’t try to tell me what to do. I’ve done it for years.” Gwen said, she wasn’t going to let him think he had any control there. All she hoped he would do was his job. “You said you wanted to be part of the investigation, so this is your chance. Do your job and you can tell this whole town you’re the hero in this story. I don’t care.”

“I don’t want to be the hero.” He said, as if he was offended by her, but she knew that’s exactly what he wanted. “I just want things to end up ok.”

“I’m just here because Blake told me to trust you.” She was very clear while standing up to leave. “If you don’t comply with your part of the plan, it’s not only me that you’re letting down.”

“What? Do you think I’m just going to abandon the plan once you leave?” Again, Matthew looked offended.

“I don’t know.” Gwen was honest. “But there’s one more thing you need to know.” She said, preparing herself to tell him what she needed to, but didn’t really want to. “I’m pregnant. So if you leave me there to die, you’re killing Blake’s baby too. I’m going to leave a letter for him with someone I trust and if I don’t come back, he will know about everything.”

She was able to perfectly perceive the exact moment when the information hit him, and the color seemed to disappear from Matthew's face. He was definitely taken aback by her pregnancy, so it had the effect she wanted it to have. “I will not abandon you." He said, still looking very lost. 

“Good.” Gwen was content with the end of that conversation, so she didn’t really have anything else to do there. “I will leave then.”

“Don’t forget Blake is coming back home this afternoon. I think it’s better if you leave before that.” Matthew said, throwing a keycard to her. “Your car is fixed and the hotel room is ready for you any time after 3pm.”

“Thanks.” She got the keycard and threw it in her purse too. “But I want to see Dorothy first. It’s not like I can’t see Blake either.” She was already on her way out as she said that. 

“That’s not what we agreed.” He had to said it louder so she would still hear it. 

“It’s my plan, I will do it the way I want.” Gwen said back, and then just waved at him, finally getting to the police station stairs so she could leave. 

  


***

  


Gwen picked up Hope's last box of toys just in time to hear Dorothy's car parking in the driveway. It was around 5pm, but the sky was already darkening because the sun was hidden behind the highest hills and ready to set for the day.  
The room she shared with Hope during those long 6 months — which really seemed like 6 years, to be honest — was exactly the same as when they saw it for the first time, even the furniture that had been moved around was back where it belonged. Gwen had washed all the bedding and tidied up the room impeccably. The closet was already empty too, since they didn’t really have a lot of things, except for whatever belonged to Dorothy and Blake.

She took the box and turned off the light, closing the bedroom door with her leg as best as she could. The door to Blake's room was open, so she was able to look out the window to the front of the house and got to see Dorothy's car parked right next to hers, and Blake was helping his mother out of the passenger seat.

Gwen went down the stairs and found Hope watching TV in the living room. “Turn it off, baby, we have to go.” 

“But Blakey just got here. Where are we going?” The little girl whined. “Please, I miss him.”

It took a full week for Dorothy to be discharged from the hospital. They had no contact with either of them since what happened, mainly because Gwen was trying to figure out a way for her plan to work, but also because she really wanted them to get used to her absence, especially Blake. She wasn’t working since she was fired from the school for no reason, and had very little money left, so finding a place to stay wasn’t an easy task. 

“You can go say hello, that’s ok.” She told Hope, just because she knew her daughter would be whining for days after they left. 

Hope opened the front door for Gwen, but ran out before her and straight up to Blake's legs. She hugged him really tight, and as soon as Dorothy was out of the car, he picked the girl up and squeezed her tight in his arms. “Hey, my big girl. I missed you.” 

“I missed you too.” Hope said. “And you too, Dot. Are you ok? Mommy said you were in the hospital.”

“I’m ok, my angel.” Blake’s mother smiled at her. “I missed you too.”

Gwen finally felt brave enough to get off the porch. She went around the other side of her car and put the toy box in the trunk with the other few boxes. Only then she came back on the other side and went to where they were. Without saying anything, the first thing she did was carefully hug Dorothy, and as she did, she couldn’t contain her cry.

“Oh no, don’t cry.” Dot caressed her back. But there was nothing that Gwen could do, that was stuck inside her all that time and she couldn't control it. Also, she was an emotional mess. “It’s ok, I know. Blake told me everything.” She broke the hug to exchange a confused look between Blake and Dorothy. “I wish you would have told me earlier. All I knew was whatever the town was gossiping about. If we were facing it as a family, we all could have been more careful, but I know everything now and it will be ok.”

“No, it won’t.” Gwen let out a long ragged breath. She couldn’t decide if she was more sad or ashamed at that point, in front of Blake’s mother. “Nothing else is going to happen, we’re leaving. I’m so sorry I put your family at risk and we didn’t even tell you about it.” 

“Where are we going?” Hope asked again, but there was no answer, so she looked at Blake. “Are you coming too?” She asked, but he didn’t want to answer that. 

“Honey, that’s not what I want.” Dorothy stepped forward and touched Gwen's hair lightly. She moved her hand from the top of her head to the ends of her hair and then caressed her face. “You’re family. We don’t abandon family. Would you come in to have dinner with me? There’re many things I’d like to ask and talk about.” 

“I really think we should get going.” Gwen said, but she could see on Dorothy’s face that she wasn’t going to give up, and after all that they’ve been through, she thought that she probably owed her that. “Maybe just a coffee?”

“Sounds good.” Dot smiled at her and then at Blake. “Let’s all go in then. It seems like there’s a storm coming.”

In fact, there was a storm rapidly building in the sky. They entered the house and took shelter just a few minutes before the first drips of heavy rain began to fall. The noise on the roof and the smell of wet dirt and grass nearly intoxicated Gwen with the best memories she had of that place. Things she would never forget.

The hot, strong coffee that Dorothy made fresh went down her throat to comfort any anguish she had, even if only temporarily. They talked about the things that happened to Gwen in the past, but Dorothy didn’t focus on George and his abuse, she focused on her family before that, on her parents, on how she had been raised by her aunt without much attention and affection. Dot focused on telling her that it wasn't about her, even though Gwen wouldn't believe it at that moment. And Blake just quietly listened as he watched Hope playing in the living room, oblivious to the conversation going on in the kitchen. 

“If you leave, where are you going?” Dorothy suddenly asked her. 

“I’m not sure.” Gwen lied. She just couldn’t tell them if she wanted Blake out of it. 

“But you were leaving when we got here.” She insisted.

“She won’t tell you, mom. She won’t tell me either.” Blake said.

“I’m protecting you!” Gwen let out a tired sigh. “George has been inside of your house many times, Dot, he’s not afraid of hurting anyone.” She explained because she didn’t know if Blake had told her all of it. “He’s really dangerous and I have to do something.”

“Ok.” Dorothy agreed, mostly because she didn’t remember what happened to her that day in the kitchen, but Blake had told her enough to make her believe it was Gwen’s husband. “What about Hope? Blake said he offered to take full responsibility for her while you do what you have to do. I just wanted you to know that I support him on that and that I’ll help him.” 

Gwen softly cried when she heard that. She didn't think she deserved to have captivated people like those two. “I am thinking about it. I know the best place for her is here with you, because Hope has never loved anyone the way she loves both of you. I know she would be happy, but what about you?”

“We will be happy too. It’s what we want.” Blake’s mother made clear.

“We love her too.” He added.

“But it’s dangerous. I will keep her for now and think about it.” Gwen insisted. She wanted nothing more than to just make sure her daughter was safe and loved and she knew Blake and Dorothy would be the only two people that would be able to love her the way Gwen loved her, and to protect her with their lives. She just didn’t know if it was fair to put them at risk again. 

“There’s one other thing I didn’t tell you, mom.” Blake’s eyes searched for Gwen's and she knew immediately what he was going to talk about. She opened her mouth, but wasn’t fast enough. “Gwen’s pregnant.”

Dorothy seemed to take many minutes to really absorb that information. She froze, with her mouth partially open. Then, when she finally let that sink in, she had to shake her head and sigh deeply. “Will it be dangerous for the baby?” She asked, her hand reaching to hold Gwen’s hand. 

“Probably.” Gwen was honest. “But it doesn’t matter, George won’t let this baby live. If we don’t catch him, our baby doesn’t have the slightest chance. I have to try. I’ve got a plan, I need you guys to trust me.” The truth was that she didn’t believe her baby could survive either way, not after George’s threat, but she had to try anyway, even if it would surely break her to lose that baby. 

“We trust you.” Dorothy said, without hesitation. “Don’t we, Blake?” 

“Yes, but—” He was going to say something else, but his mother interrupted him. 

“No buts, we trust you.” Dot’s hand let go of Gwen’s to slap Blake’s arm. Something that made clear to him that his mother had a plan and that he needed to act differently. “So what’s the plan?” She asked.

“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you, but it’s a solid one, I promise.” Gwen’s answer wasn’t what either of them expected, but she didn’t get any bad reaction from them, other then Blake’s long tiring sigh, for which she couldn’t blame him. “I should probably leave. I got the room cleaned and all the stuff we have is in the car.” She stood up with her coffee mug, to wash it a bit before loading it in the dishwasher. “Hope, let’s go.” 

“I don’t want to go.” The girl whined again. Gwen knew that was going to happen a lot from then on.

“Please, we have to go.” She called again.

Hope crossed her little arms over her body and frowned, without even moving from the couch. “I don’t want to go anywhere.” She repeated. “I don’t want to leave again. I want to stay here.”

Gwen sighed, so Blake stepped up. “Let me handle this, ok? I will talk to her about it.” He told her. 

“Please, don’t make any promises we are not sure we can keep.” She asked, but allowed him to take care of that. Gwen was really tired, sad and hopeless, she wouldn’t fight her daughter anymore, she was too weak to keep fighting. 

While Blake sat on the couch next to Hope and started telling the girl a story about when he was younger and had to move around a lot of times until he found the perfect home, Dorothy approached Gwen and caressed one of her shoulders. 

“He will do it out of love, you know?” She said. “He loves her.” The two women were watching Blake and Hope, but they were not really paying full attention to their conversation, as they had their own going on.

“I know.” Gwen nodded. “And she loves him.” She added. Hope still didn’t look happy talking about leaving, but she was definitely more accepting of it. “Will you really help him? You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“I don’t think he will need any help, but yes, I will be here if he does. We will be a family, no matter what happens.” Dorothy promised. “And I do understand. I would want someone to do the same for me and Blake if we needed, so you and Hope can count on us, but don’t forget, this family is not complete without you.” They looked at each other, Gwen had tears in her eyes. Dot just moved closer and wrapped her in a brief hug. "There is something I want to give you." She put her hand in her coat pocket and took out a photograph. It was a Christmas Eve memory. In the spontaneous photo, Blake was holding Hope in his arms and they were looking at each other and smiling. The girl had the biggest, sweetest smile on her face, so big that her eyes were almost closed, and he had his usual sweet eyes, that were even kinder, looking at her with pride and affection. “I think it might be the strength you need to come back to them.”

Dorothy was right, that photo would probably keep her company on the worst nights that Gwen would spend away from them, but it was also a painful reminder of everything she would have to give up and could very easily lose forever.

She didn’t even feel the tears soaking her face. “I’m sorry… I just can’t...” Gwen grabbed the picture, but she couldn’t stay any longer, or she would probably give up and stay forever. 

She went back to the kitchen and searched for her phone so she could leave, but she couldn't find it. She remembered that she had probably left it in the bedroom upstairs, since she had come downstairs with the toy box in her hands. She took a deep breath and went through the living room again. Trying not to look at anybody, she made her way up the stairs. Gwen was planning on just getting what she needed fast and leaving, but she couldn’t do it. The first thing she did when she entered that room and closed the door behind her was burst into tears. She cried silently for a few minutes, until she was able to breathe again and control herself enough to get up off the carpet and compose herself. 

Gwen was drying her wet face on a clean towel she found in the closet when someone opened the door. It was Blake. Neither of them needed to say anything, a simple exchange of looks and they knew exactly what the other one was thinking. He approached her and wrapped her waist with both his arms, pulling her to his body as if that hug was able to save her. Gwen felt as if nothing else in the whole world mattered. His lips sought for hers and she welcomed them. Her hands slid behind his back and he pressed her against the closet’s door behind them. The kiss was intense and urgent, reflecting all the longing they felt for each other, and all the longing they would still feel in the future as well. At that moment, they forgot that they were not supposed to be together and needed to stay away from each other. Gwen completely forgot about the plan she had to follow and how dangerous it was. She even forgot she had to leave.

It was a long kiss too, and when they finally parted their lips, they were both panting. “I miss you.” She whispered, with her eyes still closed.

“I don’t want you to leave. Please don’t go.” He begged one last time. His arms still wrapped on her waist and their foreheads pressed against each other.

“You know I can’t stay.” Gwen sighed.

“I’ve never loved someone the way I love you.” Blake whispered again. He did not take that lightly, he meant every single word he was saying. “I’m really scared of losing you.” 

That didn’t make it any easier for Gwen, on the contrary, it made her heart hurt even more. Actually, it made her whole body hurt. “Please, trust me.” Her two hands touched both sides of his face and she pulled him towards her so she could brush Blake's lips with hers again. This time the kiss was quick and tender, but even just the way their lips fit together made the emotions of that moment run through both bodies like an electric shock.

Blake said nothing, he didn't want to have to argue again. He knew Gwen well enough to know that she wouldn't change her mind and he loved her enough to know when he should let her go, and that was one of those moments when her choice should take precedence over anything else. However, that did not mean that he had given up. Blake would still fight for her, still work to find another solution, but that day's battle was lost and he just wanted to be able to comfort her while she was there in his arms.

He held her tightly. Gwen laid her head on his chest. Everything about him was comforting to her, his strong arms around her, how tall he was, his genuine kind heart and even just the way he smelled. “I love you too, you know?” She whispered. “So much it hurts.” 

He kissed her forehead and tightened his arms around her. It broke him that he couldn’t protect her. There was nothing else to be said. They were together and that was all that mattered, even though it was temporary. Blake was there and Gwen felt safe, it was as simple as that. 

Together they were whole. 

But it didn’t last forever. It didn’t even last one more hour. They let go, as they had to, and Gwen left. 

  


***

  


“Thank you for taking us in. I promise it’s only for tonight.” She thanked Kelly again for letting her spend the night in her small one bedroom apartment in downtown Humbertone.

Kelly didn't have much, but she offered everything she had to welcome her friend and her daughter, who were in great need. That sofa bed in the living room was much more comfortable and reliable than a hotel room offered by Matthew. Gwen was counting on him to make her plan work, but she didn't completely trust him. She did not know if it was safe that Matthew knew exactly where she would spend that night alone, so she made other plans and didn’t tell him about them. 

“Oh, please, you can stay for as long as you need.” Kelly made sure she knew she was welcome there. “I’m so sorry this is happening to you.” Gwen had just told her the whole story about George and found out the gossip in town was full of made up details about her past life, but the main story was right and it was just what she had told the police. “I wasn’t sure what to believe anymore, but I’m glad you came to me. I think the plan will work.”

“Remember, you don’t have to do anything, you can just take all this to Blake and he will do it.” She would never doubt that.

“I want to do it.” Kelly assured. “So, I’ll keep this folder with me. It really has all the information about all he did to you since he arrived here, your testimony and all the possible places they could find him.” 

“Yes, and you wait and see. If Matthew doesn’t do his part, you can take this to the Sun Valley police.” Gwen said, very quietly, going over the plan.

“It’s genius.” The other woman celebrated. 

“Well, he’s pretty smart, I don’t know if I can outsmart him, but I can try.” Even from afar, Gwen was watching Hope as the girl was drawing in her little notebook on the living room coffee table. “There’s one more thing.” She said, pulling a folded sheet of paper out of her coat’s pocket. “This is a letter for Blake. If I don’t come back after those 5 days, please give it to him. I know that it won’t make it any better, but I want him to know what I was trying to do.”

“Hey, you’ll come back.” Kelly quickly noticed the seriousness of that letter and what it meant. She took it in hand and kept it in her folder with all the information she needed. "You can count on me."

“Thank you, Kelly. I’m really grateful for you.” They hugged briefly. “I will pay back one day.”

“That’s what friends are for.” She smiled and the silence prevailed for a few seconds, but there was still a question that wouldn't leave Kelly's mind, so she had to ask. “What is your plan for those 5 days? You will go back to him and do what? Wait for the police?”

Gwen hesitated for a second. It wasn't that she didn’t trust Kelly, it was something much worse than that. She had never even admitted to herself that was her plan, let alone say it out loud to someone else, but she knew deep down that she had to tell somebody about it, so she took a deep breath and said it in a undertone, word by word. “I will kill him.”

  


***

  


Gwen thought she was dreaming, but the muffled, quiet cry became closer and more audible as she was coming out of her deep sleep state and focusing on it.  
She opened her eyes and immediately recognized Kelly's living room. The lights were out and the silence was prevalent, except for the soft cry near her left ear. She was still on the sofa bed in the apartment and Hope was beside her. Gwen knew, from the first moment, that it was her daughter's cry, but it was only when she was situated and really woke up completely that she understood it was not a nightmare.

“What’s wrong?” She looked around, but couldn’t see any reason for Hope to be crying. 

“I miss Blakey.” The little girl cried even more. “I don’t want to be here, I want to go back home.”

Gwen felt her heart ache as if it was being crushed inside her chest. “I’m so sorry, bunny. I’m sorry you have to go through this. I’m really sad too.” She pulled her daughter closer to her body and Hope snuggled up into her arms, hiding her face in her chest. “Is being with Blake what you want?”

“I want us to stay home.” She said, with a muffled voice. “I don't want us to leave Blake the way we left daddy.” 

“I'm so sorry, baby.” Gwen felt like crying with Hope and in front of her, but she knew that she couldn’t do that at that point. “You’ll be with Blake soon, ok? Don’t cry. I will bring you to him tomorrow after school.”

“Promise?” Hope lifted her head to look at her mother with a content smile, even though her face was wet and red from crying. "Are we going back home?"

“We are going back home.”Gwen confirmed. “You’ll stay home, because you deserve a loving home and Blake loves you.”

“I love him too.” The little girl seemed happier then. 

“Let me warm up some milk for you, to help you sleep, okay?” She smiled at her daughter and got off the sofa bed. "Wait for me."

“Ok, mommy.” Hope agreed and yawned big, stretching a little.

Gwen left the living room and headed to the kitchen. She had brought the rest of the kind of milk she bought for Hope in a cooler, and now it was in Kelly's refrigerator. She took it out and poured it into a glass to heat it in the microwave. But before actually doing that, Gwen took out her phone and opened the contact book. It didn’t took long for her to find the number she wanted, and she pressed to call. It was already very late, so when it rang many times until it went to voicemail, she was not surprised. She just waited for the tone to leave her message.

“Hey, It’s Gwen. Sorry I’m calling so late, I figured I wouldn't be able to find you at this hour, but I needed to leave a message.” She stopped to discretely clear her throat. “First I would like to apologize for the last time we saw each other. I wasn’t very nice. And thank you for taking me straight to the hospital when I passed out at the gas station, I never thanked you either. But anyway, I'm calling because I need a favor. I know this probably sounds weird, but can you meet me at 9am tomorrow at the town’s bridge? I’ll explain everything. If you’re not up to it, just don’t show up, I won’t be offended.” She deeply sighed and was ready to wrap up. “Thank you, Barrett, I hope to see you tomorrow. Bye.”


	19. At Barrett’s

“And that’s it. That’s everything.” Gwen finally got to the end of the whole story about George and her past, and then stopped to take another sip from her big glass of fresh orange juice. "But you already knew, didn't you?" They were sitting on a table in the sunroom, at Barrett's huge house. They were facing the big fenced backyard, and the fireplace was keeping them warm. Even though it was located in the suburbs of Ada, the two-story, four-bedroom house with a swimming pool, gym and even a sauna, did not match the story that he was a student at the same college as Ashley, especially because it seemed like he lived there by himself.

“To be honest, I did know some of it. Ashley told me.” He said, cutting a piece of the lemon cake for her, which she didn’t touch, even though she really wanted to taste it. 

There was a full breakfast table in front of her, as if Barrett had heard her message early and prepared it all before he went to pick her up at 9 am on the bridge that was the only way in and out of Humberstone. He had come up with the idea of taking her to his place as soon as he picked her up, and Gwen didn’t hesitate to go with him. That was her plan and she honestly didn't fear anything at that point, and nobody but George.

“Ashley is on the wrong side.” She said, feeling the refreshing taste of orange running down her throat. The juice was not too cold, it was at a pleasant temperature for the Oklahoma winter, and the flames in the fireplace were very comfortable, almost making her forget that she was not in the presence of someone completely trustworthy. But Gwen could never forget that. She didn't trust Barrett.

“What do you mean?” He ate a piece of the cake himself, almost as if he was trying to encourage her to do the same. 

“She’s helping George.” She wasn’t afraid to tell him that, and if he was doing the same thing as Ashley, it was good that he knew she was aware of some of the people helping her abusive husband. 

“What? Why would she do that?” Barrett shook his head, as if that information about Ashley was ridiculous. 

“Maybe because of Blake.” Gwen said, sipping the orange juice again, just so she had something else to do that wasn’t stare at him while they talked. She didn’t want it to seem very obvious, but every single thing she was saying in that conversation was part of her plan, and it was going down just the way she wanted. “Blake left her for me, and I was with him for a while, but we’re not together anymore.”

“You aren’t?” Barrett finally seemed to pay full attention to the matter.

“No. That wasn’t what I was looking for at the moment.” She lied. It was also part of her plan. “Plus George won’t let me move on, so I have to fix one problem at a time.”

“Hm.” He seemed to be deeply thinking about something. “So why did you call me?” Barrett asked. He already knew she needed his help for something, but had no idea what it could be. “How can I help you?”

That was the exact point Gwen wanted to get to, and the exact moment too, right after they talked about all the other things she needed him to know. “You said your father sells guns and that it is a family business, right?” She asked, but it wasn’t exactly a question, she was just reminding him of something he said to her when they met. Barrett nodded. “I still remember that story about women in abusive relationships you told me at The Scarlet. I am one of those women and I need a gun so I can put an end to this.”

From the look on Barrett's face, he wasn't expecting a request like that one. His eyes widened when he looked at her. “Are you sure about that? Killing someone is a path you can’t come back from, regardless of who they are and what they’ve done.”

She let those words sink in and seemed to think about it for a second, but the truth was that she had already decided. “I have to.” She said. Gwen remembered the way Barrett used his athletic body to try to impress her when they first met, which indicated that body language was very important to him, so she did the same thing, leaning back a little, against the back of the chair. She sighed and reached out to touch one of his shoulder. “Please, Barrett, I have no one else to ask for help.”

The physical contact completely changed Barrett's posture. Just like at The Scarlet, he puffed out his chest and sat up on his chair so his back was straight. He was using his body again. “It’s ok, I can help you.” He reached out too and his hand caressed her back. It was a physical contact she initiated herself, so she would have to take it. “We don’t need my father’s guns, I have the perfect thing for you.” 

“You do?” Gwen almost celebrated more than she should, but she contained herself before doing that. She would never be able to buy a gun at that point and with the little money she had, so she really needed his help with that. Plus, that was one way to know if Barrett was on George’s side or not. “What is it?”

“Come with me.” He got up.

Barrett held Gwen's hand as if the little contact the two of them had seconds before was enough for them to be completely intimate now. He pulled her from the sunroom into the living room and they went upstairs together. They crossed a huge corridor, full of doors, until they entered one of them. The house seemed like one of those houses that had no ending and many secret doors.  
What was behind the door they entered certainly looked like a secret room. It was a dimly lit place that consisted of a corridor with some school-like lockers, and two other doors that gave access to small glass booths. Barrett then turned on the light and showed that the room was much larger than it looked like. Behind the booths there was a large empty space with several well-lit targets, some looked like animals, other were just regular life-sized cardboard people. It was as if that room was one of those places where people went to train their shooting skills or where they actually learn how to shoot. That was when she realized Barrett would help way more than she could imagine, but it was also when she started to fear him. Gwen had no idea who that man was, but he definitely wasn’t who he said he was.

“This is one of my favorite places in this house. I built it just the way I wanted.” Barrett walked over to one of the lockers and opened it with a code. He took out a black case and motioned for Gwen to follow him. She did, and they went into one of the booths. He rested the box on a shelf and opened it. Inside, as Gwen already imagined, there was a small black gun. “This is a caliber 9mm. It’s not too heavy and you can load six bullets in. Which means you have six chances of getting it right.” There was also a box of bullets inside the case, and Barrett started loading the gun. “If you fail the first one, shoot until you get him. If you shoot him on your first try, don’t stop, keep shooting him until you’re out of bullets. You are inexperienced, you have no way of knowing if the bullet hit the right place, so use them all.” 

Gwen was still afraid, but the idea of having six chances to end George’s life seemed to paint a much more positive picture than she thought she would ever have. Maybe she actually did have a chance to come back home alive. To come back to Blake and Hope, and to save their baby in the process too. Maybe she could have it all. “Will you teach me?” 

“How much time do you have?” He asked, but was already putting the gun in her hands and showing her how to hold it. 

“I have to be somewhere later, so maybe around five hours.” She did her math quickly for the time she would have to pick Hope up from school. 

“Yes, I can help you. We just need to start right now.” Barrett agreed.

“There’s no reason for waiting. We start now then.” Gwen nodded and turned around. She aimed at one of the targets and pulled the trigger fast, but nothing happened.

“Lesson number one, the safety.” Barrett laughed.

  


***

  


“Now look at where you want to shoot. I want you to aim at that target near the door. Shoot him in the head.” Barrett's hands held Gwen's shoulders. He squeezed them and then went down to her waist. He held her right there. 

They had been training for many hours and she no longer knew if that training was any good, but at least she felt more confident than when she held that gun for the first time. That was actually something she never pictured herself doing: Dealing with a firearm and shooting, but there she was, and she even got it right a couple of times.

Gwen aimed anyway. She took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. Her hands shook right at the last second, and she completely missed the target. “I can’t do it with you holding me.” She let out a frustrated sigh and he quickly took his hands off her waist, awkwardly laughing. 

Barrett was completely different from Blake in every possible way, and even from George. He tried to look like a confident man, but he didn't seem to know exactly what to do when she cut him off or when she clearly didn’t approve something he did, or even when he was rejected. He wouldn’t get as frustrated as George and showed no clear signs of aggression, but Barrett was definitely not as confident in himself as he wanted to show when he used his well-developed body to try to impress her. He was definitely interested in her and Gwen knew it since the night at The Scarlet, that’s why she knew he would be more willing to help if he thought she was completely free.

“Do you want to try again?” He asked while she was silently analyzing him. 

“I should probably get going.” Gwen put the gun down and Barrett opened the booth door for her. “I have to go somewhere else still. Can you take me back to Humberstone?” 

He appeared to ponder that quickly. His head must have come to a different conclusion at some point, because he closed the booth door again. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Barrett took a step forward and practically cornered her on the bulletproof glass wall behind them. His body was obstructing the only way out. “I could make dinner, we could have some wine.” He reached to touch her hair and then his hand went down her arm as he was leaning forward. He held her waist again, this time tightening his fingers against her skin. “You could spend the night.”

Gwen freaked out slightly inside. She was afraid of what would happen if she rejected him, that was a fear that she would carry with her forever after the experience with George. If anything happened there, they were completely alone and she would have no way to escape. The worst was knowing she had put herself in that situation. “Barrett—” She stopped him with a hand on his chest, right before his face was close enough to hers. “That’s not going to happen. Sorry.” She rejected him anyway, even waiting for the worst.

He looked confused at first, but then he stepped away. “I’m sorry. I might have misunderstood the whole situation somewhere along the way.” Barrett sighed, giving her enough space to leave if she wanted.

“I’m sorry if it seemed like this could be something more than just a favor I needed.” But Gwen wasn’t sorry, it happened exactly the way she knew it would, she just wasn’t expecting him to be so straightforward in the end. “Maybe it was a mistake coming here.” But it wasn’t. She now had a gun and was almost certain that Barrett wasn’t helping George. If he was, he wouldn’t be there trying to get in her pants like that. 

“No, it’s ok.” As she was leaving the booth, he was getting out right behind her and closing the door. “I’m happy I was able to help you. Here.” Barrett handed her the black case with the gun in it. “You will need more bullets too.” He went back to that locker and grabbed another small box. “Just don’t try to fly with this. If you’re going to California, you will have to drive.”

“I will drive.” Gwen agreed. “Thank you, Barrett.” 

“Do you promise you will let me know when you come back?” He asked.

“Sure.” She nodded. 

“I will drive you back to Humberstone then. Let’s go.”

  


***

  


The sun was setting again when Gwen turned on Little Swamp Lane and drove to the end of the dead end little street to turn right in the driveway. The lights were on in the small, simple white house, and Dorothy's car was parked exactly as it was the night before. Even before she finished parking the car, Gwen saw the porch light turning on and the front door opening. Blake showed up as if he knew they were coming home, even though she knew he didn’t know anything. 

Hope unfastened her seat belt, jumped out of her little seat and opened the car’s door to get out and run up to him. There was nothing the mother could do, besides turn the car off and get out too.

Blake welcomed the little girl with a tight hug. He held her in his arms for a long time while Hope's arms were wrapped around his neck. “We are back home." Gwen heard her saying when she got closer. 

“To stay?” He asked, but he wasn’t really asking the little girl, he was looking at Gwen. 

“To stay forever.” Hope confirmed. Gwen just walked straight up to them and hugged them both.

Blake wrapped his free arm around her body and Hope hugged her mom too. They stayed like that until the girl saw Dorothy inside and made Blake put her down so she could go tell his mother all about the night they spent away. As soon as the girl ran inside, Gwen threw herself at Blake and he squeezed her against his body. They kissed for a few short minutes, his lips against her soft ones, his hand caressing her neck as he was wondering if she was really back to him and planning on staying. Then Blake pulled his face away to look at her as he slid his fingers lovingly down her face, stroking her soft skin. 

“Let’s go inside, it’s too cold.” He said, as if she had just came back from the grocery store of something simple like that. 

“I was at Kelly’s.” She told him, even though she knew she didn’t have to, as they were walking inside of the house.

“It’s ok, you’re home now.” Blake kissed her forehead. “I will take care of you.” 

Gwen felt her heart hurt as if it was shrinking, but it wasn't just that, it was like everything inside her was out of place at that moment, even though she was exactly where she wanted to be and knew she should be. However, she said nothing, she just kept her arms wrapped around him and let him guide her inside and close the door. Perhaps she would be able to enjoy that night as if there was nothing wrong, at least for one night.

  


***

  


“But the very clever princess needed no prince to come down from the tower and kill the dragon. She did it all by herself, with a sword and a very long ladder.” Gwen had just come out of the shower and dried her hair in the bathroom when she heard those voices coming from somewhere in the upstairs hallway.

“You’re making this all up.” It was Blake and Hope, and the little girl seemed to find it really funny that he was making up his own story instead of reading the book. 

Gwen just peeked out of the bedroom door. Her daughter was lying on the bed and Blake was sitting on the edge with the children's book in his hand. 

“Yes I’m making this up because that’s how it should be.” He said, as if he knew everything about any thing. “Girls can do whatever they want to do, they don’t need boys. You will never need a boy for anything in your life. Boys are gross.”

Hope laughed like he was just the funniest guy ever. “But you’re a boy, Blakey.” She said.

“Right. You’re very smart.” He had to think a little so he knew what to say to keep the joke going. “I’m the only nice boy, ok? No more boys for you until you’re 30.”

“What is all this talk about boys?” Gwen finally entered the room, closing the door behind her. She quickly joined the two on the bed, lying next to her daughter.

“Do you believe she said there’s a boy in school that tried to kiss her?” Blake seemed genuinely offended. “On the lips!” Gwen laughed a little and he looked at her as if she was crazy. “She’s five. I will have to talk to Alicia.”

“They’re kids, it doesn’t mean anything.” She whispered to him, but then she turned to Hope. “Baby, no one should be kissing your lips. You have to talk to the teacher if anyone is trying to do something to you that you don’t want.” She caressed her daughter’s hair. “Or you can just come home and tell Blakey. I’m sure he will deal with it patiently like an adult.” Gwen laughed.

“Hey, don’t laugh.” He shook his head. “A few years from now I might be beating up some 12 year olds.” Blake said, as if he was serious. “It sucks because she looks a lot like you, so she will be ridiculously gorgeous really soon.” 

Gwen was still laughing. Hope had a confused look on her face, and Blake frowned. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The girl crossed her arms. “Is it kissing time yet?”

“I think it’s kissing time now.” He reached his arm to hold Gwen’s shoulder, getting Hope stuck in between them. 

Blake was the first one to lean forward, but Gwen did the same thing soon after, and each of them filled one side of the girl's face with kisses. Lots of kisses, until Hope was laughing out loud, like she did every time they would do that. Hope was never so happy like when they were all together like that, that’s why she wanted to be home with Blake and Dorothy too. She never felt so loved and protected, and the same thing worked for the other two too. That night, the three of them slept right there, in that guest room that had been their place for so long. They shared the bed as a family, and Blake couldn't wait to wake up with the two of them in his arms. It was his favorite way to start the day. Gwen ended up sleeping in the middle of them this time, with Hope huddled and snuggled against her body and Blake right behind her, his big body keeping her warm. One of his arms was wrapping them in a hug and the other was stretched out under Gwen, with his hand on her stomach, because there was someone else there that he needed to protect and include as well.

It seemed like an ordinary night, as if nothing different could happen, especially nothing bad. That was until Gwen woke up in the middle of the night. She moved very slowly so she wouldn’t wake either of them as she stepped out of bed, but Blake opened his eyes nonetheless.

"Everything all right?" He asked with his husky and sleepy voice.

"I need to throw up." She said, contorting her face in a painful expression.

"Okay, I'll be up in a second to be with you." Blake closed his eyes again. 

“You don't have to. Go back to sleep." Gwen pulled Hope a little closer to him and Blake's arms immediately wrapped her little body in a hug. The expression on his face softened and she was sure he was slowly returning to the heavy sleep stage. "I love you." She whispered and kissed both their faces.

Gwen headed to the bathroom. She opened a cabinet and took her overcoat out of there, the same black overcoat she had used to escape Sun Valley. She took a deep breath and put it on over her pajamas, then she put her hair up in a ponytail. She took some items that were in the bathroom — like her toothbrush, for example — and put them in her coat’s pocket. Then she took something from the other pocket and went back to the room where she was before. Gwen opened the door just enough to see Blake and Hope sleeping together, but she made sure she wasn’t staring for a long time, or she might have changed her mind right there. She just put her arm inside to leave the note that was in her pocket on the dresser. It wasn’t much, but she wanted them to know she left because she had to and not because someone took her. 

When she started to feel sad and wanted to drop everything to stay there, Gwen closed the door and went downstairs. She left quietly through the front door. The night was dark and cold outside, as if it knew what she was about to do. It was after 2 am and she still had a very long drive to California. More than 15 hours. 

She almost burst into tears when she had to take some boxes of toys and Hope’s stuff out of the trunk and leave them on the porch. And then she sat in the driver's seat and controlled her breathing before she was too unstable to drive. Gwen was about to leave Little Swamp Lane and Humberstone for a while, and there was a chance that she would never return. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and took a deep breath, taking out her phone and running quickly through the contact list. She soon found exactly who she was looking for.

“What are you doing? It’s 2am.” The voice on the other side of the call complained.

“Ashley, tell him I’m going back home.” She said, letting her ragged breath show.

“Really?” Ashley sounded much more awake then. “To California?” 

“Yes, to California.” Gwen confirmed. “I will be there tomorrow night and I want him to meet me at the house.” 

“Ok, I will tell him.” The other one agreed. “I think you’re doing the right—”

“Don’t you fucking dare telling me I’m doing the right thing.” She interrupted Ashley. “If I were you, I wouldn’t be able to sleep, because when I come back, I will make you pay.” 

“You might never come back, though.” Ashley had the audacity to say. 

“You better hope I don’t come back.” Gwen snarled at her. “Just tell George I’m going back. Do something useful for once.” 

“You bet I will.” She said back. And they hung up.

Silence. The crickets were all she could hear, until Gwen started the car and backed up, leaving everything she loved the most behind and praying that she wasn’t losing them forever. Through the rearview mirror, she saw the black gun case hidden behind the seat. That was her only chance to get out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is she just running away again or does she really need to do that?


	20. On the way to Texas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just sit down (or lay down if you prefer) and read it in a comfortable position. Clear your mind too, it’s a lot to think about and digest. 
> 
> Good luck!

_Blakey,  
I never really thought love could be so strong, but the truth is that I never knew love the way it really should be. I thought that love controlled everything, but your love set me free. That ‘not so good’ side is that I didn’t really know it could hurt that much to let it go. I’ll go now, but my heart stays with you. Not only that, you’ll keep the best part of me too: Hope. You always say she’s like a part of me that walks and talks, and I always thought it was just a silly thing to say, but I understand it now. Hope is what is most important now and I know there’s no better place for her than with you, that’s why inside one of Hope’s boxes you'll find an official document. I went to a lawyer in Ada a few weeks ago and we made a document that attests that if anything happens to me, you are the person I want to have Hope's full custody. This lawyer also has my official testimony of all the things that George did to me, if he tries to get close to her or obtain custody legally, she will present all this as evidence so you can keep Hope. You will find her business card and all of her contact information with the documents in the box.  
Please don't try to look for me. Don't come after me. I plan on returning soon. But if that doesn't happen, keep the part of me that you have safe, and please tell her about me, don't let her forget about me like I forgot about my parents. Remind her how we love each other and how I love her, use this to teach her about true love, that way she will know love before the pain.  
I know what I ask of you isn’t fair, especially when I am taking something of yours with me, something that you are likely to lose forever and I know it is unfair to take it away from you, but I don't have much of a choice right now, or I would never be leaving. I didn't even know people like you existed, Blake. People with hearts that are as good as yours are special and rare. I am very grateful to have met you and to have spent that time with you, regardless of what happens when I am away. You saved me, you brought me back to life when I thought life wasn’t worth fighting for anymore, and I love you for that and many other things. I am so lucky. Hope is so lucky. _

_If anything, find me inside of your heart. That’s where I want to be forever.  
I love you. I will always love you.  
G_

Dorothy finished reading the letter and her heart seemed to be broken into a thousand pieces. It got even worse when she heard Blake sobbing softly. He had been crying quietly since he passed the letter to his mother a few minutes before. His head was racing, he didn't know what to do or how to act, but he knew exactly what his heart was screaming for him to do:

“I’m going after her.” Blake said to his mother as she was looking at him, not really knowing what to say. 

“She asked you not to do that.” Dorothy reminded him.

“I don’t care, mom. It’s Gwen, and it’s my baby with her too. I’m bringing her back.” He insisted. “Otherwise he will kill her.”

“Ok.” Dot stopped to think for a second, while she stood up from her chair and walked across the kitchen table to caress Blake’s back. He had told her the whole story with details, she knew everything now, so she could help. “So we focus on our plan, ok? We can still keep everyone safe.” 

“How are we going to do what we were planning?” Blake lifted his head to look at his mother. He wasn’t crying anymore, he was serious and trying to focus. “We wanted to get George before Gwen left. We were going to make Ashley and Barbara talk and I was going to find him while you kept Hope safe.” 

“Yeah, but she left, which means you don’t need Ashley and Barbara, you know exactly where that man is going to be and it’s also where you want to be, isn’t it?” Dorothy seemed way smarter and more understanding than he thought she would be in a situation like that. “It’s ok, son, you can still do your part of the plan. You go there, you hunt him and you keep Gwen safe. I will do my part and keep Hope safe far away from here.”

Blake thought about it quickly. His mother was completely right, the plan they had could still work, with the only change that it would not happen in Humberstone and he would have to run to the unknown city of Sun Valley. Dorothy could still get Hope in the car and drive to a relatives' home in Texas. It wouldn't be a very long drive and it would be a safe place, since their ties to Blake's father's family were not very obvious and George probably wouldn't be able to find them.

“It could work.” He slowly said, while still thinking about it. 

“Blakey?” They heard the child’s voice calling for him from the top of the stairs. 

Blake stood up and went to the living room so he could see the little girl. He was less worried once he did. “I’m here, baby girl. Did you brush your teeth?” 

Hope shook her head while rubbing her tired eyes. “I just woke up. Mommy isn’t in bed.” She was definitely a little scared and didn’t really seem completely awake yet. 

“Everything is ok.” He tried to calm her down. Just the way the little girl had uncertain eyes already made him uneasy. “Dot will go up and help you in a second, ok? Get your toothbrush ready.”

“Ok.” Hope agreed and soon she was going up the stairs again and back to the room. 

Just then, a loud knocking sound echoed through the house. There was someone at the door.

“Mom, did you get the boxes?” Blake felt his heart racing as he held his mother’s shoulder. He knew that the boxes with Hope's belongings were on the porch early in the morning, and he was afraid that someone might have access to them before him. 

“Yes I did, they’re upstairs in your room.” Dorothy told him, instantly calming him down. 

“Ok, so go up and help Hope. Find the documents in the box and pack essentials for you and her for a few days.” He said, letting go of her. “I will deal with whoever is at the door and I will be right behind you.”

“Ok, be careful.” Dot said to him, before going upstairs to do exactly what he asked her to. 

Blake couldn't say exactly who was knocking at the door at 8am, but he had a bad feeling about that. However, as soon as he walked to the front entrance and looked out the window, his bad feeling quickly turned into irritation. Blake opened the door in a rage.

“What the hell are you doing here, Ashley?” He was almost snarling. His voice was low and not at all friendly. “You are the last person I want to see in front of me today. Get out of here before I take you to the police.”

“She called me, Blake.” The woman said, knowing it would make him change his mind. “Let me in, there are many things I have to tell you, but I can’t do this here at the door.”

“I’m not sure about that.” Blake was being difficult on purpose. “I have to protect my family and I don’t trust you.”

“You will want to know what I know.” Ashley was trying to be more clear. “Please, I need to tell you. I won’t be able to live my life if I don’t tell you everything.”

He stopped to rationally analyze the situation for the first time, without wanting to yell at her and punch the wall — that’s all he had been wanting to do since he read Gwen’s letter to him. That and crying his eyes out. But Ashley seemed desperate for some reason, and much more willing to talk than she had ever been. That could only mean that whatever was making her hold on to all that information, now was too far away to know she would open her mouth. And it was a person: George. George wasn’t there anymore, he was probably back in California, patiently waiting for Gwen. 

Blake then opened the door wider and moved away a little for Ashley to enter, even if it was against his will.

“I should start by saying that I got involved by mistake.” She walked in and stopped in the middle of the living room. She was visibly nervous and used one of her hands to squeeze her other arm, as if it was a way to comfort herself. “Kind of.”

“I don’t have time for your excuses, Ashley. Tell me what you need to tell me.” He had no patience and even less empathy for her and her nervousness. 

Ashley swallowed harshly. She knew he would react really bad to all of that. “When Gwen got here, I was so jealous.” She started. “I know it’s stupid, but I loved you and I felt like you were slipping through my fingers because of the way you looked at her, smiled when she was around and even the way your voice tone changed when you said her name. You never looked at me like that.”

“To the point, Ashley.” Blake knew all that, he just didn’t know other people could notice it, especially not that early. 

“My mom also noticed, and you know her, she can't move on if she doesn't know everything that is happening and everything about everyone's life. She tried many times to find out Gwen's origins and why she had fled to a town like Humberstone, but Gwen never talked to her, so when things got worse and you completely changed, I was sure you would leave me, so she convinced me to hire a private detective to find out the truth, and I ended up doing it.” She confessed. It was embarrassing for her, so she couldn’t even look at him.

“You hired a private detective to find out where Gwen came from? Wow Ashley, you went too far. Farther than I ever thought you could. You really are your mother’s daughter.” Blake shook his head. The story was absurd, but he already knew they had done something really bad to be in the middle of it.

“I know that, but it's too late to regret it. The point is that Barrett found out—”

“Wait! Did you just say Barrett?” He interrupted her.

“Yes, Barrett is the private detective we hired.” She confirmed.

Blake shook his head once again. “Fuck, Ashley. You really fucked up.” He took his hands to his head, as if he was trying to stop a really bad headache.

“You did too, Blake. If you were at least pretending to be a little interested in my life for the past two years, you would know that I never had a friend named Barrett. But you weren’t.” Ashley sighed, but she didn’t have time for her frustrations, neither did he. She kept going then. “Barrett found out everything about her. Where she came from, her marriage to George, the luxurious life they had because of his job, his wealthy family, their business, everything. He even discovered things we didn't need to know.” She shrugged when he looked at her like she was insane. “So, after that, Barrett wanted to find out why she had run away before guiding us on what to do. He said that normally domestic violence was always the answer, but there was no sign of violence, no reports, no witnesses or anything suspicious. Their life seemed like a perfect one. So he asked to meet Gwen and talk to her, without making it clear why he was doing it. That's why I scheduled the date at The Scarlet, and it was a very strange night.” She stopped to look at Blake. Her next question was a pretentious one. “Did you know they kissed that night? I thought that was very strange, but anyway, Barrett couldn't find out anything just by talking to her, so he left us with the choice to contact George or not.”

“That was not the only time Barrett contacted her. He went to the restaurant one night, I saw him there. He wanted to go out with her that night.” Blake remembered, ignoring the part that Ashley thought would bother him for sure. He knew about the kiss, he saw it with his own eyes. At that moment, he was trying to solve that puzzle. “Did you ask him to do that?” 

“No, I didn’t.” She denied. “Maybe he really liked her. I think he did.”

“I’m not so sure.” He shook his head again, feeling like he was about to get a really bad headache because of that. “So you decided to contact George?”

Ashley's facial expressions changed one more time. She stopped trying to understand Barrett and his reasons and immediately showed signs of being ashamed again. “Yes, we decided to contact him. We had his work’s phone number. We called George and told him that we knew where his wife was.”

“So that’s how he ended up in Humberstone? You and Barbara told him where Gwen was?” That was unbelievable for Blake, and completely out of line. 

“You have to understand that we didn’t know he was aggressive.” Ashley was talking as if that was really an acceptable reason. “We didn't see red flags at all, and when we first spoke to him, he seemed like the nicest man I had ever met. He's very captivating and polite too.”

“He's manipulative and dangerous, that's what he is.” He ran his hands through his hair and sat on the couch, thinking his body could easily give up on him anytime soon. “So what you’re telling me is that you gave Gwen to George? You just took her life from her for no reason.”

“It wasn’t for no reason! We thought she was running away from him for futile reasons, with his daughter, and he showed up as this really nice guy. We wanted to help him.” She was somewhat offended, even though she knew it didn't make sense, and that she was wrong.

“My God, Ashley, shut up.” Blake was feeling so lost and desperate that he just didn’t want to hear anything anymore. “Do you even hear what you're saying? Stop being such a liar. You didn't want to help him, you didn't even know him. You just wanted to harm her. And you did it, more than you imagined you could.”

“I know, and I'm sorry. I regret it, that's why I'm here.” Ashley sighed, seeming desperate again.

"Why are you here, anyway?" He looked up to look at her.

“Because there is more that you need to know." She approached the other couch to sit down too. “We found out, when George arrived in Humberstone, that he wasn’t the nice guy he was pretending to be. He forced us to do bad things for him, things we didn't want to do, but we had no choice. He's really dangerous, as you said, and we couldn't help but do what he wanted or our lives would be at steak.” She paused quickly, but Blake just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "Yesterday Gwen spent the afternoon at Barrett's." She finally said, getting to the point she wanted to get. 

"What? Where?" He got really confused. “Why would she just—” He stopped to think. “What did he—” But it just seemed like he wasn’t able to finish any of his sentences or questions.

Ashley knew what he was trying to ask, though. “I don’t know what they did there, but it seems like she needed a gun. Barrett said she’s planning on killing George.”

“And Barrett is in it, isn’t he? She trusted the wrong person.” Blake was even more worried than he had been since he woke up and she wasn’t by his side. He got up because sitting was simply impossible.

“Barrett isn’t in it. I’m not in it. We just don’t have a choice!” She sighed again. “We just have to do what George wants.”

“And what did you do, Ashley?” He knew there was something else.

“Barrett didn’t want us to tell George Gwen has a gun, because if she kills him, then we are all free, right?” Ashley started to tell him. That was the worst part, she knew it. “But I was really afraid, Blake. I’m terrified. I don’t think Gwen can kill him and if she doesn’t do it he will know we knew about the gun all along, because it’s Barrett’s gun.”

“Oh my God. What did you do?” Blake was holding his breath during all that story about the gun.

“Gwen called me and told me to tell George she was going back.” Ashley held her breath too. “I did what she wanted. I called him. But I told him about the gun too.”

“Ashley?” He almost screamed.

“I was really scared, Blake!” She yelled back at him.

“You realize you just killed her, right?” Blake walked from one side of the room to the other, agitated. He just couldn’t stay there anymore, he needed to protect Gwen. “You might as well just point a gun to her head and pull the trigger, Ashley. Do you understand this? He will kill her because of you. She won’t even have a chance.” He was still yelling and could no longer control his temper. It was impossible for Blake to believe Ashley’s possible innocence in all that now.

And she was crying. Crying as if that was the biggest regret of her life. But there was still more to be confessed. “I don’t think she was the only one I harmed.” She sobbed. “I went to Barrett’s this morning and his place is a mess. His car was there, but he wasn’t home and he won’t pick up the phone. I think George got him, Blake.”

“Wow, Ashley, look at the mess you've made.” He shook his head, but still had no empathy for her. “I can’t help you now, I’m going to go get Gwen.”

“What? Are you going after her to California? What about George? You are crazy!” Ashley looked at him like he was insane, and was expecting him to say he was joking, at least, but that didn’t happen, of course. “No Blake, you can't do that. Let them be, don't get involved.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Blake yelled again.

A noise on the stairs announced that someone was coming down the steps before Dorothy appeared on the first floor. “You’re scaring Hope.” She said to both of them. “Enough with the yelling.” 

Blake saw the curious, but scared, little girl’s face peeking from behind his mother's legs. “I’m sorry, we’re done here.” He lowered his voice.

Dorothy nodded and went back up stairs with Hope. When Blake finally looked back at Ashley, she had her eyes open wide and a very frightening look on her face. “You kept his daughter?” She whispered to him, still not believing what she had just saw. “He’s never going to leave us alone now.” She got up slowly, facing the top of the stairs again, as if she was afraid of whatever might come down. “I’m out of here.”

“I’m not afraid of him.” Blake said, already making his way to the door so he could open it for her. “Go ahead and tell him I’m coming for him, since you’re such a good loyal friend to him.” 

Ashley shook her head. “I know you’re trying to offend me, but something inside your head isn’t right if you’re really thinking of going to California. But after I saw the girl, I’m not doubting you anymore, you’re out of your freaking mind.”

“I protect the people I love, Ashley. I’m not like you, so you will never understand.” He held the door open while she was making her way out.

“I guess I won’t.” She agreed. “There is just one other thing that I would like you to know before you decide to go after her and get into it even more.” She turned back to him before she was completely outside. "That night that you were going to meet me in Ada, in college, but ended up not showing up, it was George who would meet you." 

He blinked a couple of times until he could think of something to say. The whole story was unbelievable. “Why exactly are you telling me this? So that I have even less consideration for you knowing that you would gladly hand me over to a killer?”

“In fact, I wanted you to reconsider going after Gwen, because George is not afraid of hurting you, Blake. He's going to do that.” Ashley told him, trying to warn him one last time. “He was ready to kill you at that day and you weren't even officially with Gwen yet, because you were still trying to break up with me.”

“And you helped him. You told me to go see you when I was going to actually meet him.” Now it all made sense, the first message from George that Blake had gotten was the Cherry Blossom and the note apologizing for the mismatch of the night before. He didn’t know exactly what that was about, until now.

“I was really mad at you, and at that time I didn't know that he could really do anything to hurt you, but today I know that he would have killed you if you had shown up that day.” She said honestly.

“That was the day Barrett was trying to get Gwen to go out with him.” Blake suddenly got distracted, matching the puzzle pieces. He wasn’t really worried about himself and what George could have done to him, that was in the past. 

“Maybe George told him to do that.” Ashley said.

“Or maybe he took the opportunity because he knew George would be busy.” He was still trying to understand everyone’s role in the story.

“You think he was playing against George?” She seemed shocked. “But why? Because he liked Gwen? That’s stupid.”

“I’m not sure about anything and I’m not discussing this with you either.” Blake opened the door even wider, suggesting that she should leave. 

“He’s really dangerous.” Ashley tried again. “Just try to stay alive, Blake.” 

Blake said nothing else, he just watched her. He had a terrible feeling inside him, that feeling that he had been in a relationship for such a long time with someone he didn't even really know, because that side of Ashley was something that Blake had never seen, but it was something that was probably always there. Maybe he really hadn't been paying attention to her in a long time, and maybe it was partly his fault that she had become that. But at that moment he didn't have time to sit down and talk about Ashley's questionable behavior or even to ponder the time he had lost in that relationship with her, he had to put his plan in progress and focus only on that, because more than ever, he had to make it work. It was a matter of life or death for Gwen.

  


***

  


“Where are we going, Blakey?” The little girl's inquisitive voice asked as he was sitting her in the car seat and fastening her seatbelt. 

He felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if a dagger was permanently installed in his heart. “We are going to my family’s house, baby girl. For a vacation.” He said. “You will love it, it’s a big farm and a lot of animals live there.”

Hope was so young, she would never understand what was really going on there and he was sorry that she had to go through that because of her abusive father. He also felt his heart sink because he knew he had to let her go. Obviously, Blake completely trusted his mother to take care and protect the girl, but he still felt bad because he couldn’t be with them.

“Yay! I love vacations and I’ve never been to a farm before.” The girl’s very dark eyes sparkled and she smiled at him. He couldn’t help but notice how it was just like looking into her mother’s eyes. The realization was so painful that he had to deeply sigh so he wouldn’t start crying right in front of her. “Where’s mommy? She’s coming too, right?” Hope asked, as if she could hear his thoughts. 

Blake just wanted to confirm that and not make it obvious that the question had hit him like a punch in the stomach, but it was really difficult. “Yes, I will pick mommy up and we will meet you there, ok? You’ll go with Dot for now.” He felt his eyes fill with tears and got closer to her so he could leave a long kiss on the top of her head. He had to take a deep breath to compose himself so he wouldn’t scare the girl, but first he hugged her for a couple of minutes before letting go. “I love you. Be a good girl, ok?”

“Ok. I love you too.” Hope smiled as she nodded, completely unaware of the truth behind that brief farewell. It was possible that they would never see each other again. 

Dorothy wiped the corners of her eyes as she watched her son saying goodbye to the little girl. “I will take care of her. We will be fine." She assured him when she came up from behind. They had thought of that plan when Dorothy was still in the hospital. They were going to a place that was not linked to his mother’s family at all. It was a safe plan because it would be difficult to find them there.

Blake had already closed the car’s door at that point. “Don’t use your cellphone or credit card for anything until you hear from me. Use the cash and the burner.” He told his mom.

She approached him and stroked his face. “Please take care of yourself too. Come back home and bring Gwen with you.” Dot said, very quietly, so that only he could hear. “I’m really proud of you, my son, and of the man you’ve become. Your father would be proud too. He always was.”

Blake hugged his mother tightly. Her words meant so much to him. He knew she would always be by his side and would do anything for him, but in that moment she was going much further than he expected anyone to go. She was leaving her whole life behind to protect Hope elsewhere, a distant and unknown place, to which she had been only a few times in her life — not her favorite moments either. They would be staying on a farm, in the most rural area of Texas, which belonged to his father's family. It didn’t have anything to do with her, it was really far from her home. She was doing it for him, for Gwen and for Hope. For her family. 

“I will be home soon. Keep me updated.” He said. Letting go of that hug as if they would really see each other soon. Dorothy went around the car and got into the driver's side. She opened the passenger side window and waved at Blake. He waved back and leaned over a little to look at Hope in the back seat, safely fastened to her car seat. "I will see you guys soon. Drive carefully.”

The car window rose slowly and Blake continued to look at the two of them until Dorothy shifted into reverse and exited the driveway. They exchanged one last worried look before she sped up and left with the little girl, leaving only dust from the dirt road behind.  
Blake felt completely empty when they left. It was as if he was slowly losing everything again, but this time he needed to focus on his plan so that he could bring them all back later. He took his phone out of his pocket and called one of the the numbers on his recent calls list. It didn't take long for the person on the other end to answer.

“Blake?”

“Hey Matt, I need your help.” He went straight to the point. “Gwen left. I’m going after her. I want your help and the police’s help. This time I won’t take no for an answer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So California here we come (??)


	21. Sun Valley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Violent content. Mention of domestic violence and rape.  
> If that could bother you in any way, please don't read it.
> 
> Ps: You made it to California, guys!

“Sun Valley, California.” Blake said one more time. He had been repeating everything he knew about where she used to live since he got in Matthew’s car. “Big yellow house on Rainbow Street.” 

Matt took his eyes off the road to look quickly at Blake. He was very concerned about his childhood friend. Blake definitely didn't look like he was in his normal state. Matthew wanted to distract him, but he had tried many times and it didn't work out, his friend was only able to talk about where they were going and what he needed to do. "It’s ok, Blake, I have the full address." Matt confessed, giving up on trying to distract him.

"Do you really?" Blake looked up at him. 

"Yes, it’s in the forms she filled out at the police station." He told him. 

Blake felt an intriguing mixture of relief and anguish, just by his friend mentioning Gwen and something she had done. It brought the pain back, and it clenched his chest tight. “I should have done more for her. I should have paid more attention. I shouldn't have acted as if everything would be ok after all the ways he tried to harm her.”

“Blake, you did your best. Don’t do this to yourself.” Matthew couldn't believe that his friend was blaming himself for all that, but he knew Blake enough to know that was how he genuinely felt. He had just told him the whole story of how Gwen's abusive husband had discovered her whereabouts and Matt now knew it was Ashley and Barbara's fault. "Do you know what I think? I think all of Humberstone has failed Gwen.” He said, honestly. “It's not about you, it's about all of us. Good thing she had you, at least.”

Blake nodded slowly, truly thinking about that matter. “Why did the police never believe her? Why didn't you investigate it?” He looked at the other man with weary expressions. He didn't think he could ever feel so defeated. 

“I can't say exactly. Maybe because she was an outsider, maybe because Barbara was manipulating everything from the start. I don't really have the answer to that, but I agree with you. I noticed from the beginning that the Sheriff’s behavior was strange in this whole situation.” Matthew took a deep breath, his eyes were focused on the road ahead, but his thoughts wandered through various events in the previous months. “I don’t want to lie to you, Blake, nor do I want to be a hypocrite about it. You know I disliked Gwen at first.” Matt said. He didn’t have to hide it, never did he try to. “The whole story of a mysterious woman who appeared out of nowhere in a small town and hid her past from everyone was a bit much for me. The fact that she arrived and ruined your relationship with Ashley also seemed terrible.”

“That was my fault and my responsibility, not hers.” Blake corrected him. 

Matthew shrugged. “That added to the things that started happening in Humberstone because of her, I had no way of being on her side.” 

“She never tried to hide anything from me.” Blake sadly sighed. His eyes were watery again, just thinking about her. “She was always honest and told me everything as soon as we were intimate enough, as she should have done. The choice to get involved was mine. I knew everything before there was even a possibility of a romantic relationship there.” He was not looking at his friend, his eyes were staring at the edge of the green landscape they were passing quickly as the car moved away from the small remote town that was left behind.

“I understand now. I understand that she was just trying to survive and I understand that she never wanted to put your family at risk.” Matthew looked at him for half a second, just to confirm he was ok. He desperately wanted to change the subject. Matthew had known Blake since they were kids and he had never seen him so downcast. "She told me she is pregnant."

It worked. Blake quickly turned his neck towards him. "Why would she tell you that?"

"Look in the black backpack.” The policeman said, nodding to indicate the back seat of the car. “In the second compartment, with the largest zipper.” Blake looked at Matt with a confused expression on his face, but did as he was told. He turned his body to the left to lean between the two front seats. His large body barely allowed him to reach the backpack, but his long arms managed to do the job. Blake unzipped the bag and pulled out a brown folder. Before Matthew said anything, he opened it and checked its contents, flipping through the pages curiously when he found out what it was about. “Gwen did not abandon you, that was never her intention. We had a plan to catch George so she could get back to you.”

Blake felt like his lungs would stop working, because he just wasn’t able to breathe for a few seconds. He ran out of air quickly and felt his eyes sting so much that he had to bring one hand up to his face to rub them. “How long until the airport?” He asked the question that really mattered, even though his head was throbbing in pain.

“40 more minutes.” Matt said, without even looking. He used to go to the airport in the neighboring town way more than Blake. If the other one had actually ever done that. “But the only flight to Los Angeles is at 7pm.”

“What?” He did not believe what he heard. Staring at his phone, Blake saw that it was still 2 pm. “Do you think I'm going to sit around for 5 hours?" He wanted to scream it to see if maybe people would understand that he needed to get to California as soon as possible. “It might be too late when we get there.”

“You said she was driving, right? Lets do the math. If she left in the middle of the night—” 

“We don't know what time she left.” Blake interrupted him. “We went to bed around 11pm. I suspect that she left around 2 am.”

“2 in the morning? Ok, so that means she would probably arrive in California at 5 in the afternoon if she drove nonstop, but I don't think that's possible. She will have to stop at least a few times for gas, so I believe she will only be able to arrive around 8 pm. We will be landing at 10pm. It’s only a couple of hours difference, plus the short drive to Sun Valley.”

“There are so many things that George can do to her in two hours. He can kill her in two hours. ” Blake sighed.

“It will be ok, man.” Matthew tried to calm him down. “We are doing our best here. We will save her.”

  


***

  


It was a little after 7 pm, but the big city noise was still deafening as if it was still rush hour. Gwen was back in the noisy city of Sun Valley, in southern California, and it was depressing to have to return to that place. When she left, she thought she would never have to set foot there again. Gwen, honestly, had wished she never had to go back, not only to that place, but to her old life, but still, there she was, and she was feeling small and scared, just like she used to. Sun Valley had that effect on her. Gwen felt diminished there. The snobbish elitist city seemed to want to remind her all the time that she didn't belong there. It was different in Humberstone, she felt like she belonged there — even though she also didn’t — the problem with the remote Oklahoma small town was its inhabitants and the time it took them to get used to any changes in their country routine.

She had just parked her car in the grocery store parking lot at the corner of Rainbow Street and Sunset Boulevard. She didn't want to park on her old driveway, nor did she want to announce her arrival before it was extremely necessary. Gwen got out of the car with only a backpack on her shoulder, but it was not heavy at all, she only had a few changes of clothes and some personal things she could not be without in those few days that she intended to stay in that city. That and the black case with Barrett’s gun. 

The temperature was much higher than what she was getting used to — in the Oklahoma winter — around mid 50s, and the dry California air seemed to have an immediate effect on her skin. The truth was, she disliked everything about that place. 

Gwen locked the car and started the short walk up the street. Even in the heart of Sun Valley, Rainbow Street was a quiet, private street, full of families and children. Although it was very close to a large, noisy avenue, it was not a very busy community at all, especially not at night. The contrast between the two streets was enormous, they didn't even seem to be in the same area.

She had managed to spend a few hours in a hotel room, when she was too tired to keep driving, so she had taken a shower and changed her clothes. She wasn’t wearing her pajamas anymore, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a plain white t-shirt, with her pair of blue Vans, but she still had her overcoat over her clothes, tied around her waist.

The moon was high up in the sky, full and magnificent. But Rainbow Street was very well lit by streetlights and the moon, so big and bright, didn't seem to have much to do around there. Its splendid beauty wasn’t as well appreciated as it was in Humberstone, where the small town would go completely dark at night to let the moon and stars shine in the dark blue sky. That full moon was one of the few witnesses to Gwen's arrival at Rainbow Street. Besides it, there was a lady walking her very small dog, that barked at Gwen as if she was an intruder on the dog’s peaceful neighborhood, which she was happy to be. A young man who passed by, running with his headphones, going in the opposite direction, that didn’t even look at her. And she thought she saw someone peeking out from behind the curtain across the street, but maybe it was only in her head. 

Gwen passed by Adam’s house, her friendly neighbor who was the preschool teacher that taught Hope how to write her own name and hundreds of other things. His children's bicycles were left in the front yard, toys were scattered on the porch floor. It seemed like a happy family environment. The lights were on on the first floor. She saw Adam approach Sarah, his wife, to help her take care of the dinnerware. They exchanged a brief kiss and turned towards the kitchen with their hands full. Gwen smiled at the smallest sign that they were fine, but it also made her think of Blake and how happy she was with him. Blake would make her happy even in Sun Valley, she was sure. She had spent many nights with that couple before. It didn’t matter whether it was having dinner at their house or welcoming them to her own home, it was as if the two were her only friends in the city, even though George had never let her actually have friends there. Plus Hope was their older daughter’s age and the girls used to be really good friends. Hope would love to see little Rose again someday, but she probably never would.

Well, apparently, life in Sun Valley went on normally without her, as she knew it would. Worst case scenario, life in Humberstone would go on the same way. 

Gwen continued up the street.

Next to Adam and Sarah's house, there was a gray house, slightly smaller in size, which was between the two largest houses on the street. An old lady lived there. Suzanne was her name, but she spent most of her time at her son's house in Los Angeles. The house had all the lights out, as always. After the gray house, came the big yellow house on the street. Gwen held her breath when looking at it. The house was still exactly the same as it had always been, with the white fence around the front yard, the two garage doors closed, the white door, made of the best refined wood, and the large smoked-glass windows on both floors. From the inside, it was possible to see everything that happened outside, but outside you couldn't see the inside of the house at all. It was like looking at a thick black glass. It also helped a lot with the afternoon sun, the smoked-glass protected them from the sun rays when it was really hot. 

She opened the small white gate and entered the front yard. Everything was quiet and the lights were out there too, indicating that the house was probably empty, but Gwen doubted it. She could even feel that George was waiting for her, if not inside the house, then very close.

She looked around and the horrible memories quickly became overwhelming to her. She still vividly remembered the night he had pulled her out of the car by the hair, right there, on that driveway. The car wasn't even parked in the garage yet. He dragged her into the house and shoved her against a wooden shelf full of dishes in the dining room. His reason was that supposedly Gwen had been flirting with one of his father's employee at the company’s party they were at. That night, the broken chinaware caused many cuts to her skin, some of them left permanent scars on her body.

Gwen crossed the front yard and headed to the entrance door. A yellow notice, in black letters was up against the white wood. It said that that was a crime scene and that no civilians were allowed to enter the house. That had, in fact, been a crime scene for years and years, and no one ever cared. She knew there was a key under the plant pot on the porch, but she just tried to turn the handle first, and it worked, the door was open. The wood creaked in a drag when it was pushed in, and that was enough to break the brief silence on Rainbow Street and make the neighborhood dogs start barking.

Gwen entered the big yellow house. Everything was dark, so she had to walk into the hall and turn on the light. The entrance was nothing more than an open hall, with large windows, a coat rack and a black grand piano, which Gwen loved but couldn’t play. Hope was taking classes on it when they left. The walls were white, giving the whole house a neat and clean appearance. The floors were made of a light, clear and shiny wood, even though it was a little dull since it hadn't been polished for months. Behind the piano there was a large photo of her wedding day hanging on the wall. She and George were smiling and looking at each other at the sunset on the beach. The breathtaking orange sky behind them was the main character in the photo, not the bride and groom, only their silhouettes could be seen, and their happy smile. Gwen wore a white lace dress and a pearly veil, with her hair up in a very neat, pulled back bun. They looked so happy, but whoever those two in the picture were, they definitely didn't exist anymore, nor did they feel the same way about each other. That memory made her feel sick. She felt like throwing the picture on the floor, to break it, but didn’t really do that. All she really did was put her hand in her overcoat pocket and grab the photo that Dorothy had given her. She looked at the happy faces of Blake and Hope until it calmed her down completely and she could breathe better.

Then, Gwen just put the picture back in her pocket, took a deep breath and moved on. She missed them and had to go back to them.

The house had a strong musk smell, kind of spicy too, as if someone had just sprayed some floral scent perfume through its rooms. It was bothering her stomach. 

The hall gave access to the kitchen on the right and further down was the living room, right next to the stairs that led to the top floor. Standing there, in the middle of the house, Gwen had another brief bad memory. She remembered when he broke her rib. It was one of the nights Gwen thought she was going to die in George's hands. He had thrown her against the steps of that same staircase and pressed his knee against her chest while clutching her neck. The weight of his body over hers was too much for her to handle, and one of her ribs gave way. She still remembered the agonizing pain. She had a bruised lung that time too. The reason? George had a terrible day at work, he went to a bar and got really drunk, and when he got home, she was wearing high heels. He saw no reason for that.

Gwen had to take another deep breath to keep going down the hall, because that memory made her feel like she couldn’t breathe anymore. She looked briefly in the kitchen’s direction — which was a mess, with the table turned upside down, open cabinets and pots on the floor — but continued walking to the living room. She had to turn on the lights there too, because the room was very dark, and as soon as she did, she understood the strong smell of flowers. The entire living room was covered in white Calla Lilies. A well-known symbol of death. That flower was the traditional choice for funeral arrangements and a way to express sympathy.

Gwen swallowed harshly. Her throat was really dry. Her body shook slightly with fear, even though she knew that George would do anything to scare her like that. She feared much more for the life of the baby she carried than for her own, even though she believed, deep down, that he had little chance of surviving, just like her. Her emotional state was already not at its best, neither was her head in the right place before, but that scene of the floor and the couches in the living room covered in white flowers, that represented death, had made everything worse. She quickly took steps back, almost bumping into a wall, and went back into the hall, trying not to look at that scene anymore. She also covered her nose, the strong smell of Lilies still bothered her. 

She headed for the stairs and went up to the second floor, turning on all the lights she could reach along the way. The living room had high ceilings and the light marble staircase led to a hallway with a family room. There was a big comfortable couch there, a fluffy rug over the hardwood floors and a huge TV. She remembered the countless movie nights she spent there with Hope, as soon as the girl was old enough to understand stories and plots and to sit through a whole movie. She also remembered that it was in that room that George hit her for the first time. It was an unexpected act that left her speechless and without a proper reaction at the time. Now Gwen knew she should have ran away then, it should have been the first and only time. He had hit her in the face with a hard strike that night. His big hand, with a wide open palm, hit the left side of her face. That first slap sound was something she would never forget. 

The reason was jealousy and possessiveness again. It had all started the week before the first strike, when they had spent the day at the club with his friends. George insisted that one of the guys had spent the whole time looking at Gwen's body because of the swimming suit she wore. He said that she shouldn't wear anything like that anymore, but she didn't agree and they fought all week, until that day. Hope was only 2 at the time. 

After he hit her, the fighting completely stopped. Gwen was ashamed and devastated. She felt small and alone, but she had no idea that was just the beginning of everything. George apologized many times and became the most caring husband for a few days, until the red mark disappeared from her face and the weekend came again. Then it happened another time, and many others. It never stopped happening, it just got more frequent and he got more aggressive. And Gwen became more and more afraid with each passing day.

She tried to put the memories aside, but when she passed Hope's room and reached the master bedroom at the end of the hall, her body froze at the door. She just couldn't get in. The bad memories there were as thick as a cloud of dark smoke in the air. One you could cut with a knife. The sight of the unmade bed in the distance disturbed her, the usual smell of their bedding bothered her, the scent of George's cologne everywhere made it hard for her to breathe. Gwen turned on the lights and forced herself to get in anyway, entering the room slowly, as if he would jump out of a dark corner at any moment and startle her. She was terrified. She passed the armchairs and the big walk-in closet and got closer to the bed. 

Gwen felt her knees weaken. She had ended so many bad nights in that bed, usually hurt, very sore and sometimes even bleeding, but always silently crying, and alone. The rape part was the worst form of violence she suffered, in her opinion. Usually she was already pretty hurt when he started, but that ending was what really made her feel like crap, especially emotionally and mentally speaking. She had lost count on how many times she had been pushed against that bed against her will. She did not know how many clothes he tore before forcing himself on her, or how many times she completely passed out while he abused her — she didn’t know if it was due to injuries, exhaustion or simply because it was mentally better to turn it all off and not see or feel anything else.

It wasn't fair, George yelled at her, offended her, beat her, raped her and she had never had the courage to run away from him. When she finally did, he just wouldn’t leave her alone. 

Looking over the bed, Gwen saw that there was something different in the middle of the mess. She got a little closer and pulled the fabric that was tangled between the sheets and bedspreads. It was a silk white fabric, a nightgown, and it was with a stomach twist that Gwen recognized the garment: It was the nightgown she wore on hers and George’s honeymoon. Next to it there was a paper note, which Gwen took with her other hand. She opened it and ran her eyes over the words written in her husband's unmistakable handwriting:

 _Wear this. Put your hair down. It will be like the first time._ — It said. 

And she felt sick. Really sick this time. Gwen ran to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet in time to empty all the contents of her stomach, that was actually just the fast food meal she had eaten on the way there. She got up a few minutes later, rinsed her mouth with mouthwash and washed her entire face. Then Gwen took off her overcoat, undressed and put her hair down, brushing it with the hairbrush that was over the sink, which still had loose strands of her own hair, when it used to be darker. She felt terrible about doing exactly what George wanted, especially when she put on the long, white silk nightgown, but she had to play his game if she wanted to put her own plan into practice and try to survive.

Gwen kicked her sneakers off her feet as well and was brushing her hair again, while organizing her thoughts in her mind, when suddenly the lights of the whole house went out at once, leaving the whole environment in an endless darkness and silence. She froze with fear for a second, but then forced herself to move, leaning against the wall, looking for security and stability as she walked out of the bathroom and back into the room. Gwen could not see more than a foot in front of her face, but her navigation through that house happened in a natural way even in the dark, since she knew its ways very well. Her short and irregular breathing was the only thing she could hear. That and her heart that was beating very loudly while she went back closer to where the bed was. 

She grabbed the backpack she had left there and groped until she found the case inside it. She pulled it out and immediately opened it. Her fingers closed around the gun and she pulled it out. It was already loaded, but Gwen had to grope until she found the safety and disarmed it. The moment she waited and trained for had come, she could not hesitate now, no matter how nervous she was, even if her hands were shaking and she couldn’t keep the small gun in the correct position to save her life. 

Gwen took a deep breath, trying to control herself and raised her head to concentrate. She couldn't see well, but all her other senses were very keen, so she heard the exact moment when the wood on the floor creaked in the hall outside the room. That was it, George was there. She had no choice, it was now or never.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now is the beginning of the end. 😬


	22. On the bathroom floor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains violence.
> 
> You know what to do (or what not to do).

Her ragged, labored breathing was the only thing Gwen could hear at that moment. Her racing heart deafened her and the absolute despair caused by the enormous fear she felt was managing to overcome all her senses. She was unsure and hesitant when her bare foot left the bedroom’s rug and touched the cold wooden board while she made her way to the door. The different floor temperature sent a shiver up her spine. The good news was that her eyes were slowly getting used to the absolute darkness and she could already see the shadows of some of the furniture in the way. It could just be her memory, but she believed it was more than that and that soon she would be able to see better, even in the complete darkness. 

Another long creak of the wooden board indicated that the other person present was still in the hallway on that same floor. Gwen's hand holding the gun shook slightly, and she raised her other hand to hold the small revolver with both of them together. She was panting, her whole body was shaking and her eyes were wide, with her very dark pupils dilated, trying desperately to see in the dark. Another short step and she leaned against the door’s baseboard. Her hand felt for the wooden edge and then the wall, while the only shadows Gwen could see there were from Hope's ajar bedroom door and the beginning of the staircase at the end of the hallway.

“George?” She whispered, her voice breaking slightly just by saying his name. “I’m home.” She felt like crying when she said that. That house didn't feel like home at all. It felt like a prison she couldn’t get out of.

More noises on the wooden floorboard. This time the creaking sound seemed to get closer and closer. Gwen held her breath. He was not coming from the part of the house she had come from, it seemed like he was coming from across the hall, from where the family room was.

“Babe?" She heard the voice whisper back, out of the darkness. 

Gwen's body automatically squirmed against one of the walls of the house. She shivered and lowered the gun, hiding it behind her back.

He was close, very close. She just didn’t know where.

“I’m here.” Her shaky voice was just above a fearful whisper. 

And then she saw him. A darker blur, coming towards her. Moving calmly, but attentively. Gwen felt the exact moment when the air that his body pushed when moving passed through her. His scent made her dizzy. 

And the first touch came. His fingertips touched her face and slid in an exploratory way, as if he needed to confirm that it was really her, since he couldn't see in the dark either. He caressed her cheek, went up to her ear and then went down until his index finger brushed lightly against her lips. She could even taste the light salty taste of his skin.

“You came back to me, my love.” George's arms wrapped around her body. Gwen quickly moved the gun to the side when he positioned his hand on her lower back.

“I said I would.” She didn't hug him back, even though she knew she should. She was completely paralyzed, couldn't even breathe. 

Gwen's trembling hand, the one that wasn’t holding the gun, rose slightly so she could rest it on George's shoulder. She squeezed lightly, as if to return his welcoming embrace. She was feeling completely intoxicated, dizzy, out of place. She didn't even know exactly how to act, but that scenario was much more promising than she had imagined. Maybe she would be able to distract him until the perfect opportunity. But then George's right hand slipped from her lower back to her waist, and he squeezed it tight, with his fingers digging into her skin. Gwen was startled by the sudden movement and gasped. Even in the dark she was able to notice how he liked that sound.

She saw the shadow of a malicious smile on his lips. “Oh how I missed you.” He whispered. His lips pressed against hers, making her head lean back against the wall. She did not move, she was afraid to do so.

George held behind her neck, his short nails scratched her skin. Gwen gave in slowly, parting her lips so he could have what he wanted, but instead of intensifying the kiss, he closed his teeth against her lower lip and bit down hard. Gwen yelped and her hand pushed on his chest instinctively. Her other hand closed tightly against the gun, momentarily stopping shaking. She thought about lifting it against his head, but she didn't feel brave enough. 

George pushed her back against the wall. "Why did you leave?" His voice had changed completely, from a receptive tone to something aggressive like a snarl. “Was it because of him? Did you leave me for him?”

“No." She whimpered. The taste of blood spreading inside her mouth. Her lip painfully swelling. “I didn’t even know him.”

“Lying whore.” His hands closed against her neck and squeezed tight. She gasped, quickly losing her strength. He pushed her body against the wall a few times, making sure she hit her head. It was pleasant for him. 

But then he loosened his grip a little, holding her by the waist again.

Gwen struggled to breathe. She had to take a deep breath and inhale as much air as she could, forcing her lungs to work faster. George watched as she tried to recover, he liked that part too. He held under her chin and forced her to lift her head to look at him.  
At the moment, tears began to fall freely down her face. “Please, don’t hurt me.” She cried. “I just came back to you. Why would you hurt me?”

“Because I hate you.” He said. The sentence came right out, full of hate, as if it had come from the depths of his soul. Gwen didn’t doubt it, after all that he had put her through, hate was the only feeling that could exist there. And it flowed both ways. “How long do you think we'll stay here playing house? Forever? No, Gwen, I didn’t come here to get you back, I came here to end you. You won’t be mine, but you won’t be his either.” 

“I don't belong to anyone.” Gwen protested, but her voice was no more than a whisper. “I just want to be free.”

“Free? Do you think our marriage was a prison?” She realized her poor use of words when George started to freak out even more. “I gave you everything. I gave you a life, I gave you good financial stability, because of me you were able to go to the best places in the city, I showed you the whole world, I gave you a daughter for you to play doll!” He ended that speech shouting like a crazy person.

“I didn’t mean to—” She was scared, but he didn’t let her speak.

“Don’t apologize, that’s enough.” He reached behind her back again and Gwen had to move the hand that held the gun another time. George grabbed the silk fabric she wore and then ran his hands over it lightly, feeling her skin underneath it. His other hand reached for the nightgown strap on the right side and he pulled it down. He leaned forward, his body pressing hers, and immediately touched the skin on her shoulder with his mouth. His wet lips seemed like they wanted to drink her up. He kissed and sucked her skin hard. "I just want to have you one last time."

Gwen whimpered and closed her eyes. George ran one hand behind her back and the other in front of her body, touching her everywhere. His lips arrived at her neck and he pulled her hair to give himself more space, exploring and sucking her skin, but all Gwen felt was disgust. She started to do what she used to do in those situations, imagining herself somewhere else, far away, as if that body wasn't even hers. George reached for her breasts and lowered his hand to her stomach. Gwen immediately got scared and instinctively jumped back. She was trying not to draw attention to that and did not mean to move like that, but it was by pure instinct.

He pulled his lips away from her skin and moved slowly until he was facing her. George's expressions changed immediately, from pure desire to something dark. "Do you think I'm going to let it live?" Gwen's body was shaking, and tears were streaming down her face again. But she had to be honest there, so she shook her head. "You're right, I won’t." One more time, he ran his hand over her belly, feeling over the silk nightgown. “I actually should start now.” He squeezed her stomach hard, but not in a completely violent way. Still, Gwen reacted quickly, she raised the hand holding the gun and swung it in the air, hitting George in the face with the heavy object.

He grunted and staggered back. She pushed him away, but he soon recovered, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him. “You had the fucking gun all this time? You wasted no time. I’m going to kill you!” George tried to take the gun out of her hand, but Gwen pulled it back and fought him. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her a few inches closer to the stairs, pushing her body against the railing. 

"Let me go!" She shouted, but he didn't care. George's other hand closed against her neck. “Leave me alone. I hate you!” Gwen had completely lost control of the situation, and now her plan was ruined. There was no way to convince George not to hurt her when she had driven him mad with hate like that, but she couldn't help but try to save her baby.

He held her hand up high, squeezing her wrist so she would drop the gun. And he was strong, but Gwen was holding on tight. Her back was hunched over the rail, her head hanging in the air, the living room down below. In one last desperate attempt, Gwen pulled the trigger and the sound of the shot near her ear was deafening. After that, she didn't hear anything for a few seconds, but she could see George's angry face yelling at her. Then a long, stable whistle sounded in her ear and it overcame anything else. She wondered if she would ever hear again.

She felt her strength draining away as the grip around her neck became tighter. She knew she would pass out soon. But as usual, George released her when she was about to give in. Fighting once again, Gwen tried to raise her arm, but George spun her wrist tightly, making it snap. She cried out in despair and pain, and ended up dropping the gun. He leaned over trying to reach the object, but the revolver fell all the way down to the first floor. Gwen took advantage of that moment of distraction and turned her body, pushing him away to run from him. She thought she had succeeded when she realized that the weight of George's body had stopped pressing against hers. She turned around and ran, but in the next second, fingers closed tightly against her ankle and pulled her leg back. Gwen fell forward, with all her weight, making a hollow noise when she hit the floor. The side of her face hit the wooden board and she felt the exact moment when her hipbone came into contact with the hard surface. She didn't even try to fight this time. She remembered the pleasant, quiet darkness she had experienced the last time she passed out, and only embraced it when it came this time.

  


***

  


Her heavy eyes blinked several times. The comfortable darkness gradually fading away from her as she tried to adjust to the new source of light that seemed to hit her directly. Her eyes burned, so she closed them again. She had been in the dark for such a long time that even the dim light bothered her. The sense of touch gradually returned as she regained consciousness, so she decided to study her conditions even with her eyes closed. Gwen noticed that her back was supported against something soft and comfortable, but her legs were lying on a cold and hard surface. She was cold too, and apparently, due to the silence in the room, she was alone. There was a metallic smell in the air, very faint and apparently far away, but it was noticeable.

It wasn't just those senses that came back, though, as she slowly returned to the waking state, she felt like wriggling her whole body when that strong pain in her belly hit her the first time. It was so strong that she was panting and even sweating in a matter of seconds. She was sure that was what had brought her out of that comfortable darkness where she was floating. It could wake her up even if she was dead, Gwen was sure of it. 

Her eyes then opened and widened, she studied the environment around her and it was with tremendous surprise that she found out that she was lying inside the large shower in the master bedroom, however, with soft pillows neatly arranged behind her back. That was a strange mix between seeming like someone had taken care of her and at the same time completely abandoned her in a hard, cold surface. It completely matched the way George had always treated her, if she was very honest. That thought brought the memories back to her. She was still in that house, probably alone with her aggressive husband and at great risk. And now she didn’t even had the gun to try to conquer her stupid plan. She had to get out. 

As suddenly as it had appeared, the strong cramp disappeared, and Gwen felt a little more capable of thinking about anything other than that pain. She looked around, but the dark glass door was closed and all she could see was that little square space inside. The shower was off and she was dry. Something in her head was completely suspicious of where she had woken up, especially since she saw no reason to be there. Couldn't George just have laid her on the bed? Or leave her right on the hallway floor, maybe. Well, she had stopped trying to understand him some time ago.

But then she saw it. Near her bare feet, the pool of vivid red blood that had formed around the drain. She followed the path of blood across the light colored shower floor to the middle of her legs. And then she panicked. "No, no, no!" Gwen rested her right hand on the floor to lift herself up, but her wrist ached absurdly and gave way, causing her to fall back onto the fluffy pillows. She looked at it, it was purple and slightly swollen. George had twisted it, maybe broken it, she remembered now. 

Her desperate cry came back again, but for a whole different reason now. And with it, also came the sharp pain in her belly. It was stronger, and it didn’t fail to overwhelm her completely yet another time. Gwen knew what that meant now. She was losing her baby.

She gathered all the strength she still had to kick the glass shower door in anger. It swung back and hit a towel that was hanging, which made it slowly swing back towards her. The scream that came out of the depths of her throat was far more full of hate than frustration this time. That was the consequence of her pushing all the deep sadness she felt to the back of her mind so she could focus on the anger. She needed that. That feeling that burned inside Gwen even helped her to completely ignore the physical pain she felt. She stood up, holding on tight with her good hand to get it done at once. Her head spun, but she ignored that too.

Gwen thought she had seen the worst of that night, but she was very wrong. When she stepped out of the shower and had a complete view of the master bathroom, her eyes got to see the worst thing she had ever seen in her life: A dead body. Her body instinctively dodged backwards to get away from it, slamming against the glass door that had closed again. It was Barrett. He was lying on the bathroom floor, in front of the sink, as if he had simply chosen to take a nap there, but his face was considerably paler and his lips were a light shade of purple. He was dead. 

Gwen put her hand in front of her own mouth to muffle the desperate cry that struggled to get out of her throat. This time it was a scream of pure terror and nothing more.

And then the bathroom door opened. Gwen ran into the shower again, hiding behind the dark glass, but it was too late. 

"Are you awake, babe?" George came in calmly, carrying a box with him. 

She peeked out from behind the glass. She knew that box, it was the one that contained all the first aid items they had. Gwen had made it as soon as Hope started walking and consequently started to get hurt doing so.

“Come here, love, let me see your wrist.” He asked, turning in the direction of the shower. 

She had no intention of approaching him, so she stayed where she was. “Please, George, I need to go to the hospital. I'm bleeding a lot. ” 

“Oh, don't worry about it.” He raised a hand in the air and swayed. "You'll be fine, you're just dizzy because you just woke up." 

“How long was I out for?" She made herself visible, standing in front of the shower door, but she didn't get out.

"Not long. A couple of hours." George turned to the first aid box and got a few things out, bandages and something that had a little round container. 

“I need to see a doctor, George.” Gwen insisted.

“Stop being dramatic, Gwen.” He gave her an unsatisfied look. “I said it’s ok. You won't bleed much anymore. I made sure to give you the right dose, you are not dying, you are just expelling this thing out of you.”

"What?" Her breathy voice broke into a shriek. “What did you do to me?”

“I just gave you something to solve the problem. Everything is fine now." He calmly said. 

"Everything is fine? Everything is… fine?" She shouted the last word wildly, officially losing her mind. “You took it from me! You purposely took it from me! You had no right.” Gwen went right back to crying. The suffering and the enormous pain coming back all at once, making it hard to breathe. It hurt as if someone was tearing at her chest and physically pulling something that belonged to her. 

George seemed to want to stay focused on what he was doing, but due the the way she was screaming, he couldn't. “I don't give a fuck, Gwen!” He shouted back. "I could wait for it to die with you, but I wanted you to wake up to the realization that I killed it."

“You are evil, George.” She sobbed. “You’re just plain evil.” She could barely see anything, the tears that streamed from her eyes blinded her. 

It was the worst possible time to think about it, but she felt like she was letting Blake down in the worst possible way. Gwen had exposed herself to that and believed in a completely flawed plan, now she had lost their baby while Blake lovingly cared for her daughter, far away from that mess. 

In that moment, she hoped to die. 

"Enough of that." George reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the shower space. Her bare foot touched Barrett's hard, lifeless arm on the floor, and she squeaked. “Are you afraid of him now? You were never afraid of him before. Now he is dead.” 

“What did you do, George?” She stared at the body under them with horror. She was so close to it that the metallic smell was even worse. “This is crazy. Are you a murderer now?” 

George let out a loud laugh. "Is that what gave you the clue?" He shook his head. “I didn’t kill him. You did. Remember when I said that every person who got hurt would be your fault? It’s all your fault. Him, this thing inside of you and everyone that is coming next.” The shadow of a smile forming on his lips, but it soon faded. “Come with me. I want to tell you everything before we end this.”

  


***

  


George led Gwen into the bedroom, leaving the bathroom where Barrett's corpse still laid. From the bed, she could still see his feet, lying on the floor without moving, but she had seen Barrett alive the day before, so she still expected him to rise at any moment. The idea that he was dead was surreal.

“Gwen? ” Her husband called. She turned her neck slowly to face him. George was putting an ointment all over her wrist, rubbing it carefully over her skin. “How are you feeling? You are still bleeding.” Something in his voice sounded unsure, maybe even worried. “Maybe you should drink some water, or eat something. ”

"I feel destroyed." She was honest while lowering her head and looking at the nightgown she was wearing. The back of the garment had a big red stain on it. Blood had also left long stains when it ran down her legs earlier. Gwen felt weaker by the minute. "It doesn't matter anymore. You won, George, I’m dying.” She wasn't sure, but she said it anyway.

"No, you’re not. I said it's okay." He wrapped her wrist and her hand in a tight bandage to immobilize both. "I don't think it's broken."

“Why are you taking care of me?" 

"I don't like to see you hurt."

Gwen made a loud noise with her mouth, as if she was sarcastically pushing the air out. "Now, that is the biggest lie I've ever heard."

“I don't, babe. Sometimes you deserve it, but that doesn't mean that I like having to teach you those lessons.” George said gently, as if he was talking to a grumpy child. Then his hand went up and he caressed her cheek, brushing away her leftover tears. “You know, when you disappeared, I couldn't believe you left me. I spent a whole day waiting for you to come back, but you didn't. ” He started telling her, as he was putting the medicines and bandages away on the table beside the bed. “I believed that you were kidnapped. I went to the police, but they came here and said that there was no proof that someone had taken you. In fact, they said there were indications that you left because you wanted to. But babe, I could never believe that, so I kept looking, even though I knew they probably weren't there anymore.”

She blinked, still looking at him. The subject did not interest her, but she paid attention nonetheless. George continued. “But I didn’t know if I would be able to find you myself. I appealed to the media and everything, but it wasn't working. Until those stupid rednecks came to me. It was so easy to convince them to tell me about the woman they believed to be my wife, and on the first call I already knew it was really you, so I dropped everything here and went to that stupid town in the middle of nowhere.” 

“Why?” Gwen asked.

“Because you’re mine.” He said like it was obvious. “And I wanted you back.” She just watched him. He sounded crazy to her. And he was. “As soon as I got there, Ashley took me to where you worked. I looked through the window and that was all I was going to do, but you were so sexy working in that uniform that I had to get closer. ” 

"I knew I saw you!" 

“You did, but that was not the only time you saw me. You also saw me at the Halloween parade. That day I was only going to look at you from afar too, but the way you got scared got me so horny.” George confessed, with a light laugh at the end, but he was serious again soon. “I saw you with him that day, it was the first time I noticed how close you really were, even though Ashley had already told me. She and I agreed that she would avoid the fiancée so that he couldn't break up with her, and that night she said she would meet him, but she never intended to show up, I just needed him to get away from you for a few hours." 

"You gave me the first flower that night." Gwen remembered, not nostalgically, of course. She could still vividly feel the terror she felt that night, if she concentrated on that.

“I gave it to Hope. That girl is so smart, she’s really my daughter.” He smiled at her. “So I told Ashley to ask Blake to meet her away from that town, but she wouldn't be there, I would be there. I just wanted to talk to him, but he never showed up.” George shrugged. “So I left a note for him the next day. Well, not exactly me, Barbara did. She went inside of their house and grabbed Hope’s lunch box. She knew where his mother kept the spare key.”

“Barbara did it?” Gwen shook her head. “That’s crazy. How did you get those people to help you?”

“I’m good at that. Just a little blackmail here and some threat there and they all fall like flies.” He told her, as if it was something simple and ordinary. “I didn't even have to take Hope away from their house that day she disappeared. Barbara did that too. The girl was sleeping on the couch and the caregiver was distracted. She picked her up and took her to me.” The playful smile on George’s face was getting bigger. He was so proud of his doings. “I loved that day. I spent some time with my daughter and it was nice. She was incredible. Did she tell you about the flower in the backpack?”

Gwen nodded. The girl indeed told them about that, when she was fully awake. “You drugged her. Your own daughter.” 

“I had to do it so I could put her back.” It wasn't like he needed to explain, but he was explaining it anyway. He wanted to, so he could brag about it. “Don't be dramatic, I knew what I was doing. Exactly how I knew what I was doing today too, see? You stopped bleeding.” 

She looked down, but it was such a bloody mess that she honestly couldn’t tell if he was right. “Does it matter?” She asked. 

“It matters.” George nodded. “Then there was Christmas Eve. I missed you so much that day. I followed you to the church and stayed for the service too. You were so beautiful.” He sighed, as if he still had the image alive in his memory. “That day changed something for me. You and him were no longer simply close, you were a couple. I saw the way you looked at each other, I saw the way he touched you, I saw the kiss you exchanged in the back of the church. You shouldn’t have done that, you are my wife!” He displayed angry features, as if it all was happening at that moment. “That's when I decided I was going to kill him. I was the one who caused his accident. You can definitely blame me for that. And I would do it a million times if necessary. I hate him.”

Gwen wanted to say something, but she had no energy. All that story told from George's point of view was draining all the strength she still had. It was too frightening to know he had been so close all along.

“After the car crash, the policeman got into the game too.” He kept going. “He looked for me and found me.”

“Matthew?”

“Matthew.” He nodded. “But he had his own plans too. Ashley had already told him that I was dangerous, so he came up to me saying that he would bring you to me if I left the townspeople alone.” George laugh. “I agreed because I needed him.”

“For what?” Gwen couldn’t believe Blake’s friend was really in it too, even though she never trusted him. 

“He's a cop. They have the best information.” He shrugged. "He gave me all the information I needed about your testimony at the police station and I made Ashley and Barbara spread it all over the town."

"You made Hope's life a living hell." 

"Collateral damage, babe. It’s your fault too.” George didn’t seem to mind it that much. “But then I got Ashley to give you that box and the cop stopped cooperating because he said I was still upsetting his friends.”

“What about Barrett?” She wanted to know. “You killed him.”

“Barrett was just an idiot. I didn't need him for anything. He joined the scheme along with Ashley and Barbara, but I only used him in the end, when I finally found something to hold against him. He was the one inside the black sedan that followed you that night, that’s why he was close enough when you passed out. I should have known that he was enchanted by you and was not trustworthy since that night when he took you to the hospital instead of bringing you to me.” George continued to tell. He didn't mind her asking about the dead guy at all. “But that night he brought me the news about your pregnancy and I forgot about everything else."

“Did he hurt Dorothy?” Gwen was looking for more reasons to not care about Barrett’s death, because it honestly upset her. 

“No he didn’t. Barbara did.”

“What?”

“Yeah.” George confirmed. “She said she had to do it, because Dorothy heard her coming downstairs, but I honestly think she liked it.” He laughed. “But then you left them. You left their house and I was really confused for a second, but then I understood that the plan worked. You left him because I was hurting them. Well not me. I didn’t really do much, you can’t blame me.”

She wasn’t going to confirm or deny that, she was afraid to do either. “Then Ashley called you?” 

“Then Ashley called me.” He nodded. “She told me that you were going back to California and wanted to meet me.” 

“I told her to say that." 

“Did you tell her to tell me about the gun too? What about the kiss? ” 

"Kiss?" She looked at him, confused. 

“The kiss between you and Barrett. She told me about that.” 

Now, more than ever, Gwen was sure there was something wrong with Ashley. She had managed to find out about her meeting with Barrett and told George about the gun, but she also managed to tell him about old thing she knew would upset him even more. Perhaps she thought that if George killed Barrett, she and her mother would be safe. If someone, besides George, was truly responsible for Barrett’s death, it was Ashley. 

“Barrett was just the first one from my list.” He said. “There are many others. The obvious ones, like Blake and his mother, and some other ones, like Ashley, Barbara, Matthew and that girl Kelly.”

“What?” Gwen’s eyes widen. She was surprised he even knew Kelly’s name. “But you said you would stop if I came back.” She looked at him, terrified. “You won’t, will you?”

He gladly shook his head. “Look what I found.” He pulled something from his pants pocket. A photo, all folded and crumpled. The picture that showed Blake and Hope looking at each other happily on Christmas Eve. “You have no idea what this does to me. I want to kill them. I want to kill both of them with my bare hands.” Now his face contorted with hate. “She's mine, but she gave in to him the way you did too. I don't want any of you anymore.”

That was the last straw. Gwen jumped out of bed in one quick motion. George didn't even know she still had the strength for something like that. That sudden movement took him by surprise and gave her an advantage. She managed to run out of the room, but he still caught up with her in the hall, at the edge of the stairs. 

He pulled her by her hair. "Enough!" He screamed. "Time to put an end to you."

  


***

  


The big yellow house looked a little whitish in the white streetlight. Maybe Blake couldn't tell the difference in color from the neighbor's grayish house if he was there alone. Maybe he was going to go into the wrong house, after all. But Matthew was with him, and they had the full address. 

He looked at the paper with the house number again. It was that house. The most frightening detail was that all the lights were on. They were really there.

Blake folded the sheet of paper again and took a step forward. 

Matthew grabbed his shoulder. “Are you really sure? I think we should wait for the police. ”

“I won’t leave her alone in there with him." Blake was sure of that. “It took us too long to get here." 

"So let's go then.” His friend started walking with him, entering the little white gate into the front yard. “I'm right next to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What have you guys been thinking about while we walk together towards the finish line? Let me know, please.


	23. Burning room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: VIOLENCE!!! (You already know by now)
> 
> Ready to finally wrap this night up? So let’s go. 
> 
> Say a prayer.

“Why does it smell like gasoline here?” Matthew wrinkled his nose as he approached the big yellow house’s door. 

Blake got agitated right away due to that information. He didn’t even notice the smell until then. What if it was really too late? But there was no sign of fire, no smoke and not even an indication that someone was actually home, besides the lights on. 

He took a deep breath and reached out to grab the door’s handle.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Matt grabbed his hand before he turned the doorknob to open it. "We can't break into the house like that."

"Are you kidding me?" Blake looked at him in disbelief. “Matt, this is not a friendly visit. Gwen could be in serious danger.”

"I still think we should wait for the police."

“You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I understand.” Blake said to him and grabbed the handle again, turning it this time. The door clicked open with a not so loud screeching noise. “Thanks for your help so far, I really appreciate it, but I can take it from here. I can’t wait until the police decide to come over.” 

“No, man. I said I was going to help, so I will stay.” Matthew looked into the house, now that the door was open. Although the lights were on, the silence was absolute. That made him speak in an undertone as well, while the two entered the room.

The cop’s attentive eyes scanned the entire hall as he closed the door behind him. No sign of a fight or struggle there, except for the kitchen on the right, but he remembered seeing something about that in the Sun Valley police report from when George supposedly disappeared. “The police will be here soon, Kelly probably already got the sheriff to talk to them from Humberstone by now. Let's just look around. I don't think they are here.”

Blake was further ahead, in the corridor, facing the living room and the countless white flowers scattered everywhere. Lilies, the death flower. They’re on the floor, on the couches, on the furniture. "Maybe they aren’t right now, but they’ve been here.”

"Look at this." Matthew called and Blake turned to him. He was standing in front of a piano in the hall. “They looked happy.” He pointed at the picture hanging on the wall. “How did they get to this point? How does it end like this?”

“He is a sick man.” Blake sighed and looked away from the sunset at the beach picture. He wasn't jealous, he was just nervous to think that that man could be with Gwen at that moment. “He needs to be behind bars.”

Both were distracted by that low tone conversation when a hollow, loud noise upstairs startled them. Matthew crouched down by the piano and Blake walked closer to the stairs to look up. 

"Blake, are you crazy?" 

"They are here." He said, already starting his journey up the stairs. It may be that he was terribly mistaken to think like that, but Blake saw the fact that they were right there, in that house, as an advantage. They had to look no further. 

"Blake!" Matthew snarled between his teeth, but ended up following him.

The upstairs corridor was empty, and after the loud noise, the silence went right back to prevail throughout the whole house. The top of the stairs already took them to the middle of the hallway. There was a set of big smoked glass windows in front of them, and a sort of living room with a big TV, a huge high pile rug that looked very comfortable and fluffy, and an inviting couch. On the walls, family photos were hanging everywhere and anyone who entered there would never have imagined that there was anything wrong with the residents of that cozy house and their marriage. No one could ever say that George was an abuser by just looking around. Blake now understood why people never suspected what was happening there. 

To the left of the corridor there was a room with the lights off and the door open. It looked like a kind of office. The bathroom was right next door. Blake took the lead and turned right, going the other way. The only room with the light on was right at the end of that hallway. They passed Hope's room on the way, it was empty too, and the lights were also off, but they saw the big teddy bears on the floor near the white dresser with pink details. As soon as they passed that point, it was possible to hear the conversation going on in the furthest room.

“How many times did you cheat on me? I think I have the right to know now.” The male voice was the loudest.

"Never." Blake heard Gwen's voice answer, and his heart raced. 

The laugh that came after that was the man’s. It could only be George. “You don't have to lie, your fate is set." 

"Not even once." She repeated herself.

Matthew motioned for Blake to follow behind him, and showed him that he had his work gun with him. They were already very close to the master bedroom door, but they stayed out of sight. 

“Said the woman who was pregnant with another man’s baby." George mocked. 

Was. That choice of words made Blake's heart tighten as if it was shrinking.

“I left you. I left here and left you behind because you became a completely different person. A terrible one. Do you think that counts as being unfaithful? Because it doesn't count.” Gwen sounded impatient and that was unusual. She always talked about playing George's game, but for whatever reason, she didn't seem to be playing anymore. Blake thought it could only be because she had given up.

There was a brief silence, and then a loud slap sound cut the air. Matthew pressed Blake's chest firmly to keep him still against the wall, but he almost failed.

Gwen groaned. “You can't hurt me anymore. I don't feel anything. All I feel is disgust for you.” 

“Fucking whore.” George snarled.

Outside the room, all they could hear was a brief agitation and the sound of something heavy hitting the wall. Then silence. Blake pushed Matt's arm by the elbow and almost twisted it backwards, causing his friend to be forced to give in. Even then, Matthew was faster. He was trained to be. He pushed Blake back and blocked the door before he was able to get in. Blake stopped right behind him.

"Let her go, George." Matt announced their presence to the other man, who had his back to the door. The policeman's gun was aimed at George, as the owner of the house had his hands holding on tight to Gwen’s neck. 

Blake looked at her and the state she was in made his heart almost stop beating. She had a big bruise on her cheekbone, dark pink, her lower lip was swollen and had what looked like a deep cut. Her right wrist was wrapped in a thick beige bandage, and he was even afraid to think of what else could have happened to her, because there was blood running down both of her legs. 

_Their baby_ — Blake immediately thought.

Gwen completely abandoned the tough character she was trying to play and cried when she saw him. Yes, she missed him, she was selfishly happy to be able to see him one last time, but she knew that being there put him in tremendous danger and would probably cause him a trauma that would accompany him for the rest of his life, if he had one.

“Look who we have here.” George took his hands away from Gwen and looked in the direction of the newcomers. “I’ve always wanted to meet you, Shelton.”

“Shoot him, Matt." Blake asked, unable to take his eyes off Gwen and ignoring George. 

Her husband laughed, but he switched positions nonetheless, pulling Gwen to him and hiding behind her body. Just in case. "See, I think you chose the wrong company for tonight, Blake." He said. “Shoot him in the leg, Matthew. Let me deal with him later. I want to kill him myself.”

“What?” Blake looked at Matt. 

His friend slowly moved the gun that was pointed at George towards Blake. 

"No, Matt, please don't hurt him." Gwen cried. “He's leaving. Blake, please go now.”

“No!” Blake insisted. “What the fuck is this, Matt?"

"Shoot him, I don't have all the time in the world." George yelled at the cop.

Matthew looked at Blake as if he sincerely apologized for that. Blake did not show many emotions besides surprise and disappointment. His friend could see in his eyes how much he did not expect that, until he closed them, waiting for the shot and the pain. 

Then, in a sudden turn of events, Matthew swung his arm around and pointed the gun at George again. “I will not betray my best friend." He said, with a full chest. “Let her go now, let's get this over with, George.”

But instead of reacting negatively, George laughed out loud. One of his hands was now on Gwen's neck, under her chin, pressing his fingers against her cheeks, and he put his other hand back, pulling a small black gun from his belt. "She is mine." He didn't point it in Matthew’s or Blake’s direction, instead, he pressed Gwen’s right temple with the revolver’s muzzle. 

That close, she easily recognized Barrett’s gun. She had brought in her own fate. 

Gwen closed her eyes. Blake felt his whole body violently shiver.

“Don’t do it, George. You will regret it.” Matthew warned him one last time.

They were both able to see the other man's finger trembling on the trigger. The policeman feared that he would end up accidentally killing her. 

But George hadn't planned that night that way, and he hated it when things didn't work out as he planned. He didn't want to kill Gwen like that, a bullet in the head was something fast and messy, there was no emotion in that. She deserved emotion, care, time, enjoyment. He had already killed Barrett in a similar way and it wasn't like he really enjoyed that. He wanted to have time to spend his wife’s last moments with her, and he didn't want anyone to get in their way.

After quickly thinking about it, George turned the gun around, aiming at the men standing at the door. And he fired, without even thinking twice. The noise deafened Gwen again, and she was not even able to hear the desperate scream that came out of her own mouth in a delayed attempt to warn them. She blinked her eyes for a millisecond and didn't see where the bullet ended up. Both Matthew and Blake threw themselves back — or maybe they fell — and disappeared behind the walls, trying to get out of the line of fire. George quickly threw Gwen against the wall again and ran to close and lock the bedroom door.

"Ok, I think I got rid of them." He turned towards her. Gwen did not hear him, she was still stuck with a long, high-pitched whistle in her ear. "I won't have as much time as I would like, but we are still going to do it together, okay?" He smiled at her. “We don’t need this.” He said about the gun, and his right hand put it away in his belt again.

He left the locked door and quickly went to the bathroom where Barrett's body was still lying. George took the lighter that he had left over the sink and went back to the bedroom. A little further away, he lit it and threw it over the corpse, in which he had poured gasoline all over before the latest guests arrived. The fire started instantly, and the orange flames quickly became higher and started to spread all over the body. 

Gwen took a step back and looked away, but she had nowhere to run to. She wasn’t surprised either, she had seen him covering Barrett in gasoline and knew what he was planning to do. 

“It’s just you and me, my love. Like old times.” He got closer to her, but was still a few steps away. 

She took another step back. Gwen preferred to die alone, if she was honest, but maybe Blake would be safe if George died in there with her. He and Hope could be happy. "Come, babe." She opened her arms, giving in completely and accepting her fate. He approached her, this time actually reaching her and wrapping his arms around her. 

  


***

  


“Matt? Are you ok?” Blake held his friend’s shoulders and shook him. “Matt, wake up!”

“Hey, Blake, stop.” The cop complained, slowly regaining consciousness. "I think I was shot." Matthew was sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall. Blake was right in front of him. He still didn't know how it happened and he didn't feel anything at the time, he just jumped back to dodge the bullet, but he was almost sure that it hit him anyway. "Can you look? I think it hit my chest.” He opened his uniform so that his friend could have a look, but now he was already feeling the very strong pain.

Blake didn't really need to look, he had already seen the blood spatter on the white wall behind Matt. Looking at his friend's chest, it was impossible to know exactly how serious his condition was, but there was a lot of blood and that couldn’t be a good sign. 

"I can see it. Hold on tight, Matt.” He said to the other one while using one of his hands to press against the wound. “It’s ok, you'll be ok." He refused to believe anything else.

"Blake ... I'm sorry." Matthew groaned, trying to adjust himself to face his friend, but the pain was too much. Blake's other hand held him tight so he would stop moving. “I didn't know that he was capable of things like that. I didn't know what he had done to her, and when she told me, I didn’t believe her. I gave him confidential information. This is unforgivable, you should just leave me here to die.” 

"Shut up, Matt." Blake gasped. His hand pressing hard against the other’s chest. He didn't know how the situation had gotten worse. He didn't even know it was possible. “I am trying to stop this bleeding and you are not helping me. Stay quiet.”

“Damn, this is the first time I've been shot and I'm far from everyone I know. ” Matthew laughed softly and then coughed. "Please tell everyone in Humberstone. Tell them I was trying to do the right thing.”

"You will tell them yourself." Blake shook his head. But then, a strong smell of something burning hit their noses at the same time that a dark smoke started to escape from under the master bedroom door. Blake panicked. “Matt, hold on, I got to go get Gwen. Wait here.” He said, before getting up. 

“I'm going to get help." Matthew said, even though it seemed like he was about to faint.

"Please wait here, Matt." Blake insisted, but either way, he could not wait any longer, he had to save Gwen. 

He left Matthew and went back to the bedroom door. He grabbed the doorknob, but soon pulled away when it almost burned his hand. The handle was terribly hot. But even though he tried to use his shirt to protect himself from getting burned, Blake soon noticed that the door was locked. The smell of many different materials burning only got worse and the smoke made it clear that he would have to deal with fire when he was able to get in, so Blake had to think of a plan B. 

He went back to the hallway and opened the door to a closet he had seen on the way. As he imagined, the closet was full of bedding and towels. Blake pulled out exactly what he was looking for: A large, thick wool blanket.

  


***

  


The flames spread quickly, moving from the bathroom to the bedroom, using the thick rug under the bed as a conductor, then the sheets and bedspreads, and then the curtains. The black smoke made the eyes sting and the strong smell smothered the lungs. Gwen and George were trapped between the further wall and the door to the smaller closet on the back of the room, away from the door or any other place they could use to escape. It was over. 

“I always knew we would be together forever." He whispered close to her ear, leaving a long kiss against her neck. 

But Gwen was not really there. Her eyes were closed and her mind had traveled back to Humberstone. She could even smell the green grass growing around Lake Ember vividly, she could feel the warm sand under her feet, the cool summer breeze blowing and unpretentiously touching her hair, making the strands dance. If she concentrated enough, she could see Blake's smile, his loving and kind eyes. She could hear Hope's laugh, feel the little girl's fingers touching her face, even smell Dorothy's food or hear the heavy rain falling against the worn out roof of the house in the fall. The little things. If Gwen really had to die, then that was what she wanted to surround herself with. 

But a loud crashing noise against the wood of the door brought her back to reality, and Gwen realized that there was only hopelessness and despair around her. The fire kissed everything it could reach and was getting closer and closer, her lungs struggled to keep working as her nose inhaled that thick, dark smoke, and her body was enveloped in George's deadly embrace, as if his arms were dangerous and lethal vines. 

Gwen had given up, or so she thought, so why was it still so hard to accept that that was the end? She really wanted to see Hope one last time. She really wanted to tell Blake she loved him.

And then, almost as if it was the fulfillment of a last wish, another loud noise echoed and the bedroom door came down. At the same time, the noise of police sirens and a loud fire truck replaced the silence outside.

Through the high dancing flames, Gwen saw Blake. The noise was the distraction she needed to fight for her life, and the sight of his scared face was the strength.

She stroked George's back, trying to seem unpretentious, but reached down with her right hand until she was able to grab the gun that was stuck in his belt. She pulled it out quickly — her hurt wrist throbbing with a sharp pain — and startled him. George was completely taken aback and had no quick reaction to that sudden change. His arms around her loosed its grip and Gwen pressed the gun’s muzzle against the center of his chest. 

“Let me go." She told him, her voice firm and imperative. "Now." Her mind calculated quickly: She had fired once, in the air, George had fired once too, at Blake and Matthew, so there must still be four bullets. 

"Gwen ..." George's voice was careful now. “You don't want to do this." 

“Go to hell!" She screamed and her finger pulled the trigger.

Gwen fired once and George's body hit the wall behind them as soon as the bullet penetrated his chest. He completely let go of her and she felt so free that she fired again and the bullet hit his chest another time, even at a slightly greater distance. She was ready to shoot the third time when a hand grabbed her wrist. 

"It’s ok, you got him." Gwen saw Blake right behind her when she turned. “We need to get out of here."

Even though she really wanted to use all the remaining bullets, she dropped the gun and let Blake take care of the situation from there. One of his arms supported under her knees and the other supported her back. He lifted Gwen off the floor and arranged the blanket on his back to cover both of them before he ran to cross the curtain of blazing fire.

When they reached the hallway, Blake dropped the blanket on the floor, because it was already getting too hot. He looked around, but Matthew was no where to be found. 

“Damn it, Matt." Blake complained loudly. 

He could only hope that Matthew had made the right choice to get out of the house instead of hiding somewhere inside, because if the fire kept going the way it was, it would be able to destroy the entire house in a few minutes.

Gwen felt her body slowly relax as her head rested on Blake's shoulder and he carried her. But that brief moment of relief was enough for the adrenaline to leave her body. With that, all the pain she felt came back at once. 

"Blake." She called, her voice was really weak. He immediately looked at her even though he was carrying her down the stairs. "I think I'm going to doze off." Gwen said, and he was barely able to understand her due to the confused, slow and tangled way she talked.

“Don't close your eyes, baby. Stay with me." He asked, but the request was in vain, she had no control over how she simply lost all senses and blacked out. “Gwen! No, please. We are almost there."

As he walked out the front door, firefighters went in. Rainbow Street was filled with police cars, ambulances and a huge fire truck. The lights were on in almost every house and the city people finally seemed to care about what happened in the big yellow house. 

Blake carried Gwen to the nearest ambulance, there was already a stretcher waiting for her. He laid her down there and took a brief step back, allowing the paramedics to do their job. Blake lifted his head and watched the black smoke coming from the master bedroom’s balcony mixing with the dark blue sky. He thought about how that could have been his last night alive, but somehow he had been able to survive. He just hoped that Gwen and Matt would have the same luck. It was unfair if they didn’t. 

As if she could hear his thoughts, Gwen started to cough and he turned his attention completely to her again.

“Great, she came back.” He saw one of the paramedics — a short and skinny woman, thankfully — get off the same stretcher as Gwen and realized that she was probably giving her CPR or something like that, and he didn’t even notice. Blake was slow and distracted, and he was starting to think that he might have inhaled too much smoke, too. 

“Oxygen, please.” He heard another paramedic ask.

"Is she going to be ok?” Blake asked the short woman, uncertain, as he held Gwen's hand tight.

“She'll be ok." The woman confirmed and she positioned a big oxygen mask over Gwen’s mouth and nose. "We are going to the hospital, are you coming?" She pulled the stretcher into the ambulance.

"Yes, I will never leave her again." He replied, feeling a lonely tear run down his cheek as he looked at Gwen’s closed eyes. “Maybe you should know that she is pregnant." He informed, just in case. "Or was… pregnant.” That addition was difficult to say.

“Thank you.” The paramedic thanked him for the information as Blake entered the ambulance as well. “We will take care of her, ok? It's gonna be ok. Now let’s get you some oxygen too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s not exactly the end yet, but we’re almost there. The worst is gone, I promise. 
> 
> What do you think?


	24. Goodbye Sun Valley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you’re here it means you survived. Congratulations! 
> 
> Please read the notes at the end. Thank you!

Blake's steps were finally calm and slow as he crossed the long corridor. He was holding a plastic cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and a brown paper bag in one hand and his phone with the other, making his way back unhurriedly.

The Sun Valley hospital was completely different from the small one in Humberstone. To be more exact, there was enough space to fit three or more Humberstone Memorial Hospitals inside of that one in Southern California. And Sun Valley wasn't even one of the biggest cities around, he could hardly imagine how big the hospitals were in Los Angeles.  
That hallway was twice as wide as that one he was used to, the walls were beige, as in Humberstone, but with a modern touch and perfectly decorated too. The floor was impeccably shiny and waxed, with a vinyl layer on top that was mimicking hardwood floors. It didn't even look like a hospital, in his opinion, it looked like a beautiful and comfortable spa, there was nothing about that empty feeling of being in a sad place after a bad event there. 

"Everything is ok with me, mom, as much as possible." Blake said on the phone. It had been a huge relief to hear his mother's voice and confirm that everything was fine with them in Texas when he called her on the night before and let her know they were safe. "It’s Gwen that is really hurt, in every possible way, but she will get better now."

“I can't even imagine how she must be feeling now. It's not just the physical pain that must be bothering her.” Dorothy sighed. Her heart was broken in a million pieces since hours ago, when Blake called to update her on what happened. She wasn’t able to sleep since, but it was early morning now and he had finally called back.

"It is not." He stopped in the hallway, a little far from the closed hospital bedroom door because there were two Sun Valley police officers guarding the room and he didn't want to have that conversation inside. “She is destroyed. There was no baby heartbeat on the ultrasound.” 

“Oh no. I’m so sorry.” His mother really was. She wanted, more than anything, to have the two of them there with her so she could comfort them. “When are you coming back? I’m driving back with Hope after lunch.”

“I'm not sure. The doctor said he needed some test results to see if Gwen had a complete miscarriage or if they need to do anything about it still. I don’t really know what that means.” He deeply sighed. Blake was really tired. He didn’t sleep for one second since they got to the hospital and settled down on the night before. “She still bleeds sometimes, and still has really bad cramps that just won’t go away. She said he gave her something when she blacked out. The doctors are trying to find out what it was and if it can have any affects on her health too.” He looked around quickly, the waiting room at the end of the corridor was empty and the nurse station was very quiet. It didn't seem like there were many patients on that floor. “So it might be a while before we can fly. If you and Hope want to stay more, that’s ok.”

"My God, he was a monster." As much as she knew what had happened, Dot was shocked by the details.

“Yeah, he was. And she shot him.” Blake told her, but that was not news either, he had told his mom about that already. “She had nightmares about that.”

“Where is she now?” His mom asked. 

“In the room. She was sleeping again. I went down to the cafeteria to grab something for her to eat. Something she likes.” He told her. “Is Hope awake? I think Gwen would love to talk to her.”

“Yes, let me get her.” Dorothy seemed a little more spirited. 

Blake took that opportunity to make his way to the bedroom door. He greeted the two Sun Valley policemen with a brief nod before grabbing the handle and entering. His eyes aimed at the hospital bed before anything else. Gwen was awake now, her eyes were red and it was easy to notice that she had been crying again. 

She looked at him with very sad eyes and sighed, nervously crumpling the paper tissue in her hand. "I had another nightmare." She whispered, quickly looking away from him as if she was ashamed. 

“It’s ok, baby." Blake walked over to the bed, closing the door after going through it completely. “I brought you a banana muffin and orange juice. I know you love it.”

“I don’t really feel like eating.” Gwen looked at him again, now that he was close to her.

“That’s no problem, I will just leave it here, ok?” He placed the travel orange juice container on the tray attached to the hospital bed and opened the paper bag to take the muffin out of it and place it right next to the juice. “I also have someone on the phone who really wants to talk to you.” Blake offered her the phone and Gwen took it just out of curiosity, still exchanging confused looks with him. 

“Hello?” She said, still not understanding any of it, but he was smiling at her, so it couldn’t be anything bad. 

“Mommy?" Hope's voice on the other end was an unexpected surprise. "Mommy, is it you?"

“Hi, my little bunny." Gwen lifted her head to look at Blake with a brief look of appreciation in her eyes. He smiled even bigger. “I miss you so much.” 

“I miss you too, mommy. When are you going to get here? I'm on a farm. It is very big here and there’s a lot of animals. Horses, piggies, bunnies, even goats!” The little girl sounded really excited as she was talking non stop, and her mother could even imagine her little hands waiving in the air as she talked, like she would always do. “Do you believe that Blakey's grandmother took me to milk the cow this morning? The sun was still rising.”

“She did?" Gwen smiled. That was the first time since what had happened the night before. It was a small, faint smile, but it was enough to fill Blake's heart with hope. “We will be there soon, baby. Blake and I are taking care of some things here at home, ok? But we will see each other soon.” He watched the exact moment when her free hand held the juice cup and brought the straw to her mouth. She began to consume the liquid without even realizing it. Then she took a piece of the banana muffin and ate it. “Are you being a good girl?”

“Yes, mommy.” Hope promised. “I’m being really good. They have a river here and Dorothy let me swim with her because I’m such a good girl.” She proudly stated. “I like it here, can we live on a farm one day?” The girl asked, as if it was an easy thing to just go out and get. 

Gwen smiled and looked at Blake again. She had tears in her eyes, but they didn't seem to be the sad kind of tears this time. “I love you.” She suddenly told her daughter and him at the same time. Her free hand feeding another piece of muffin to her mouth. 

“I love you too, mommy. And I miss you and Blakey.” The girl said it right back.

“She misses you too.” Gwen pulled the phone away from her face to tell Blake. His lips mouthed a ‘I love you’ to her. They briefly smiled at each other and she started to feel as if, even after all that, things could still be fine soon. Then her attention was back to her little girl. "Hope, do you remember why I gave you that name?" She asked, but she knew her daughter remembered that.

"Yes mommy. You waited until I was born and looked at me, then you said I looked like hope.” The girl told her right away. She loved that story about the day she was born.

"That’s right, baby girl." Gwen felt a hot tear running lazily down her cheek. Blake got rid of it with his thumb, in a careful loving way, as if he was just caressing her face. “You are still the best hope I have. If I have you and Blake, I can be happy anywhere, anyway. ”

“Even on a farm?” Hope didn't quite understand that affectionate moment and what it really meant, she was too young and had no idea what was going on.

That question made Gwen laugh and that sound did something to Blake's heart. He had come to think that there was a chance he would never hear that laugh again. 

“Even on a farm, I’m sure.” At that point, Gwen was laughing and crying at the same time.

Blake got even closer to her and caressed her shoulder. Gwen leaned over a little and rested her head on his chest, so he kissed her forehead and they stayed like that, as close as they could be. 

Gwen and Hope talked for a few more minutes and that distraction caused Gwen to end up drinking all the juice and eating almost all of her breakfast muffin. Until a light knock on the hospital room door disturbed them. Finally, it was the doctor who had seen Gwen the night before, so she had to say goodbye to Hope to pay full attention to what would be explained about her current medical condition.

The look on the doctor's face was unreadable. 

“Nice to see you awake and eating, Gwen.” He said. A nurse came in right behind him, but she went straight to check Gwen’s chart. “We got some test results this morning and some confirmations.” The nurse handed him the medical record. “I'm sorry to confirm that our initial suspicions about a miscarriage were correct, unfortunately. We found the strange combination of diclofenac and misoprostol in your body, in large quantities. Both substances are contraindicated in case of pregnancy because they can cause bleeding and miscarriage. In large quantities, as we found in your labs, it almost certainly would.” The tall and brunette male doctor almost seemed like a robot, but Gwen didn’t really want anyone feeling sorry for her, so that would work. “Due to what you told us and the police about what your husband did to you, this is the apparent cause for that loss, but there is no way to be sure, it could have been due to the fall, or the shoves, even the stress only, or a mixture of all of that. I'm so sorry." He tried to be empathetic in the end. 

Gwen shook her head frantically. She already knew all that, except the exact kind of substance George used to kill her baby. Since the ultrasound without a heartbeat, there was a great possibility that she had lost the baby, but the confirmation was painful nonetheless.

"But there is nothing that indicates any future problems, you can try again when you want, just wait until all the symptoms pass. It is possible that you will still bleed for the next three weeks. Nothing bad, but lightly, as if it was period bleeding.” The doctor started talking like he was programmed to do so again. “The pain should stop tonight or tomorrow morning, after the drugs are completely out of your system.”

Blake wrapped one of his arms around Gwen's shoulders, giving her the support she needed when her body shook slightly and she let out a loud sob. His heart was in pieces too. He thought he had never felt a pain as strong as that one, and his eyes burned while his chest tightened, but he held on so he could be there for her. 

“In better news, your wrist was not broken, only dislocated. We put it back in place when you were still out, and it will heal in a few weeks, you just need to keep it immobilized as it is now.” The doctor kept going. She looked ate her right hand and wrist, it was wrapped in a tight bandage. “We did a complete scan and the rest of your body is bruised and sore, but there is nothing more serious. You'll be fine very soon." 

“When can I go home?" Gwen asked anxiously, brushing the tears away from her face.

“If it was only up to us, you could go home as soon as you are discharged, probably in a few days.” The doctor was writing something on his chart when he answered, and then he raised his head to look at them with a sympathetic smile that didn’t really look right. "We just don't recommend flying until all the symptoms of the miscarriage are gone." 

“If it was only up to you?” Blake seemed confused. “Does it depends on something else too?” He asked, finding that phrase really suspicious. 

"Due to the circumstances of what happened last night, the police need to release you as well." The male physician said, while the nurse just watched. 

Blake and Gwen exchanged a quick suspicious look as he was still holding her. 

Just as if they were listening behind the door, there was another knock and two policemen entered. A tall, black woman and a man with white pale skin and very dark hair. They were not the same ones that where at the door earlier. 

"Good morning, Mr. Shelton and Mrs. Rosello." It was the woman who approached them first, very politely.

“Please, don't call me that. It's just Gwen.” Gwen said, making Blake realize for the first time that the police officer was talking to her too, and that he didn't know her last name until that moment. Or George's last name, actually.

"I'm sorry, that was very insensitive of me, Gwen." The woman apologized and corrected the way she had called her. “I am Officer Jones and this is my partner Officer Tanner. We are here to update you on all the events of the previous night and what happened after that. If you are comfortable with us doing so.”

Blake looked at Gwen, but she just shrugged slightly. “I guess.”

"If you want to take a walk, doctors." Officer Tanner, the burly guy, told the doctor that was still in the room and the nurse who followed him. "This conversation is private."

The doctor took a few seconds in what he seemed to think about it, but he consented. “Don't hesitate to call us if you need anything, Gwen. We'll be checking on you again later.” He told his patient. "Don't stay too long, officers, she needs to rest."

“It will only be a few minutes.” Officer Jones promised.

“Thank you, doctor.” Gwen thanked him and Blake nodded too.

The two police officers waited until the doctor and the nurse left and closed the door to, only then, continue the conversation, but they were still exchanging some information with each other when Gwen became too impatient to continue waiting.

"Am I going to jail?" She asked, gathering all the courage she had. “Please, I have a small daughter, I need to know."

“What?" The two cops looked confused, but it was the woman who approached the hospital bed to really start doing what they had to do there. “No, Gwen, you are not going to jail. The police determined it was self-defense. We received all the information about your husband's previous abusive behavior from the Humberstone police and they are collaborating with us to find out all the accomplices George had there. Matthew, the cop who got shot, just gave an important testimony and we already have some names to give their sheriff.”

“Matthew got shot?” Gwen looked at Blake, as if he was the only one who could answer that.

“Yes, but he’s ok. It was only his shoulder.” He told her, and then he looked at the two police officers. “Is George dead?”

The man looked at the woman, their gaze meeting as if they had some kind of inside joke about that.

“No.” Officer Jones was the one to answer again. “But he is not awake either. The two bullets are stuck in his chest and he needs surgery to remove it, but he is not strong enough for such surgery, so the doctors put him in an induced coma until he gets strong enough so they can remove the bullets.” She finally told them.

"I can't believe this." Gwen felt the only little relief she had leave her body at once as if it evaporated. “That's not fair. He took something from me. He took a lot of things.”

Blake rubbed her arm, immediately regretting having prevented her from shooting that criminal a few more times. 

"You took something from him too." The male cop, who was further away near the room door, said. “Doctors don't think he'll ever wake up. They think he will be on life support forever, or until his family wants him to be.”

“Great.” It was Blake who frowned and said, not afraid of the cop’s displeased expression. “He deserves it. George rotting in a bed for the rest of his life is the best punishment he could get.”

“What family?” Gwen asked, even though it wasn’t important.

“His parents are on their way here.” The woman was the one to tell her. 

"Can I go home when I'm discharged?" She brushed all her thoughts about how George hated his family and focused on what was really important. She did not want to have to stay in that city for another day that was not extremely necessary. 

“Yes.” The female cop assured her. “We will have cops guarding the room until them.”

“He’s here, isn’t he?” Gwen lifted her head to looked at Officer Jones. The question was clearly about George again.

"Yes. On another floor.” The woman said. It was easy to notice how Gwen's behavior changed right away to a more agitated and uncertain one. “But you don't have to worry. Not even if he wakes up. If George recovers, he'll leave the hospital straight to jail for what he did to you. Not only last night, but throughout your whole marriage.” The female police officer seemed much more empathetic about her situation than the man, but that was typical. “Understand something, Gwen, George may leave the hospital, but he will never get out of jail. You’re safe.”

Gwen felt her eyes and nose sting. She knew she would cry again, so as soon as her face contorted, she turned to Blake and rested her head against his chest again. He put his hand behind her hair and took her into his embrace.

“Thank you, officers.” He was the one who thanked the both of them. 

“We should get going.” Officer Jones said. “Like the doctor said, she needs to rest. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Sun Valley, Gwen.” And they both turned around to leave the room.

“I don’t want to.” Gwen whispered, with her head still hiding in Blake’s chest. 

“What don’t you want?” He quietly asked, matching his voice tone to hers while he caressed her hair.

“I don’t want to stay here.” She said.

Blake only sighed. There was nothing he could do about that in that moment, but he promised himself that he wouldn’t leave her side anymore while they where there. And it was a promise he intended to keep. 

  


***

  


Blake heard the door creaking slightly, but the heavy sleep state he was in, and the sleepless night he had, prevented him from waking up to that sound, even though he knew he should. Gradually, he began to recognize his surroundings, even though his eyes were still closed. He was lying on a soft mattress, his body was warm and comfortable, and part of the warmth that was putting him in such ease came from another body that was snuggled close to him, weighing lightly on his left side: Gwen. Still kind of sleeping, he could even smell her, especially the floral scent of her hair. He could recognize that smell anywhere. 

Blake’s arms immediately wrapped around her with care as he gradually gained consciousness and assumed a protective behavior automatically. They were sharing the hospital bed and he had finally fallen asleep for the first time since he had set foot in Sun Valley. Gwen was comfortably tucked in his arms, with her head resting on his chest and didn't seem to be bothered by the little space they had at all. 

"Blake?" He heard someone call him and opened his eyes quickly, but thought that it could still be a dream. 

He was very surprised to find Matt carefully closing the bedroom door after walking inside. He looked perfectly fine, if it wasn’t for the sling that held his right arm. “Matt? What are you doing here?" 

"Any chocolate pudding leftover from lunch?" He asked, walking over to check the lunch plates and boxes that were still on the tray. 

"What? No. Why?" Blake looked at him, confused and still very sleepy. He was still whispering so he wouldn’t wake Gwen too. 

"It's the best chocolate pudding I've ever eaten." Matthew was also speaking in a undertone. He tried a smile, but it seemed completely out of place.

“What’s wrong?” Blake picked something up really quickly.

"Nothing." Matthew sighed. “I'm just bored and alone in that room. The TV keeps showing the same movies and tv shows all day.” He complained, but it still didn't seem to be the complete truth.

After a few seconds of silence, just watching him, Blake decided to encourage him to say whatever he wanted to, since he went all the way there. “What is it, Matt? I know you didn't come here for a stupid chocolate pudding.”

"How's Gwen?" His friend asked all of the sudden, trying to find a way to get to the point of the conversation he wanted to get to. 

"There is not a very good answer to that question right now." Blake replied, lowering his voice tone even more, as if he had just remembered she was sleeping against his chest. “Why don't you ask her when she wakes up?"

Matthew made a frustrated noise with his mouth. “I don't think she'll ever want to talk to me." He walked over to the armchair next to the hospital bed and sat down as if he had been asked to do that. "I don’t blame her, though. I was an asshole many times in my life, but I was never that big of an asshole like I was to her since the beginning."

“Yeah, you were a big asshole.” Blake agreed. That was the subject Matthew wanted to talk about when he came in, he thought. “But we are all adults, Matt. Gwen is one of the best people I have ever met, I am sure she will find a way to forgive you. ”

"Does that mean you can find a way to forgive me too?" Matthew asked, hopeful for the first time since being shot in the shoulder. 

“This whole thing was not about me, even though I was the person most disappointed in you. You have always been my best friend, Matt, since we were kids, so I will never understand how you were able to help hurt the woman I love.” Blake was honest. 

"I wasn't trying to help anyone hurt her, I was trying to make her go away, that's all." The Humberstone cop said, but he soon was waving his hand in the air as if he wanted to erase his previous sentence. "Forget it, I don't want to justify anything I did because there is no justification." 

"She lost the baby, Matt." Blake told him. "My baby."

Matthew looked at his friend with a shattered expression as if he was about to collapse. His mouth was even hanging open. He had no idea about their baby. 

"Please, can you two shut up?" Gwen mumbled. She was awake for some time now, even though she didn't want to be. “It is impossible to sleep with you talking like that."

“Sorry, baby.” Blake kissed the top of her head. 

“I actually wanted to talk to you, Gwen.” Matthew got up from the chair to face her, walking to the end of the bed and making her force her eyes to stay open. “I wanted to apologize for what I did. I know it is not enough for everything to be forgotten and I don't even want you to forget. I have to pay for what I did and I will, one way or another. I just wanted you to know that I truly regret what I did.”

Gwen looked at Matthew and listened in silence until he finished everything he had to say, and then continued to stare at him for a few more seconds, still in silence. She was slowly thinking, that was the best she could do, due to her sleepy state and the pain medication. 

Blake looked at her, but he couldn’t tell what was going on in her head. 

"There's no forgiveness now, Matt." She finally said. “But I am not a resentful woman, I am sure that your forgiveness will come in time. Now I just need time to heal, I don't want to think about forgiveness just yet. I have to forgive myself first and I haven’t done that yet.” She stared at him deeply again, hoping he could see that she was being sincere and that this was exactly what was inside her, nothing more. Gwen didn't hate Matthew, but she needed time. "But I am grateful that you came here with Blake and that you didn’t abandon him at the worst possible time." She added. "I think he should forgive you."

"I understand completely." Matthew nodded. Blake didn’t say anything. “With forgiveness or not, know that this whole situation made me a better person, in a way. Because I will never make the same mistake with anyone else.”

"I'm glad it taught you something." She gave him a weak smile. 

"But it doesn't change anything that happened to you." Matt almost seemed to want to finish the sentence for her. 

"But she didn’t really need help to change anything after all." Blake was part of the conversation again. "She did it for herself when she shot him." 

"Stop talking about it like it's something to be proud of, Blake, please." Now she turned to look at her boyfriend.

"But it is." He insisted. 

"No, I wanted to kill someone."

"Wanted? What do you mean? He isn’t dead?” Matthew looked surprised. 

"No, the bastard survived." Blake let out a frustrated sigh. "But probably not for long." 

“Son of a bitch!" Matthew kicked the foot of the hospital bed, but realized that was a bad idea when the entire furniture shook.

"Easy, Matt," Blake warned.

"I think that's enough conversation for today." Gwen waved her hand in the air and snuggled back into Blake's chest. “All I want to do is get out of here. When I'm discharged, can we drive home?” She asked. 

"Drive, really? All those hours in the car can’t be good for you. I don’t know.” Blake was very uncertain about that new idea.

“Please, I won't be able to fly and I really don’t want to stay here."

"I think we can try to make it work." He came as close as possible to consenting, only so he wouldn’t have to argue about that at that moment, but he would still think about it. 

“Are you going to drive to Humberstone? Can I get a ride? My car is at the airport in Oklahoma City. ” Matthew asked. He also didn't know if he was going to be ok to fly.

Blake looked at Gwen. He wanted to say yes because Matthew was there because of him and he helped when he needed him, but it was her car after all.

“Fine, as long as you are discharged at the same time as me, or earlier, because as soon as I leave here, I want to go home and say goodbye to Sun Valley once and for all." Gwen accepted, with her conditions.

“Deal. And soon it will be goodbye Sun Valley. ” Matthew nodded.

"Goodbye Sun Valley" Blake repeated softly, more to himself than anyone else. "Hopefully forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading it. I would like to let you guys now next chapter will be the last one. Aw 🥺


	25. Hope’s Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, hi guys, welcome to the last chapter.  
> This story was very important to me, it was a real escape and I really needed it, so I wanted to thank everyone who followed it up until here and liked it. If you were one of those people who embarked on this universe with me, I am very grateful to you. Can’t believe it’s over. 
> 
> Also thank you so much, Lynds for encouraging and helping me every day.
> 
> But let's get down to business, shall we?

The long trip had presented Gwen with a sharp headache, but she was trying very hard not to complain about it, because she didn't want to confirm that Blake had been right all along, when he didn't want to agree to that road trip from Sun Valley, CA to Humberstone, OK. Yes, she was tired and her body was even more sore than when she left the hospital, but the feeling of joy and relief she felt the moment the car crossed that bridge and entered the small Oklahoma town was something beyond description. She didn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Despite everything, Humberstone was home and Gwen loved that place.

Just a few more minutes and they would be leaving Matthew at his house and then heading for the small house on Little Swamp Lane. She couldn't even wait any longer to finally be home with her family. She was wondering what it would be like to be there and have Blake and Hope with her without any worries. Oh, she already felt so free. 

Gwen was laying in the back seat of the car, but through the window on the other side, she saw the long street lamps as they drove through main street, she saw the cross on top of the white church and the top of the tall city hall building. The sky was full of dark clouds, but it was still daytime. Maybe there was a storm coming.

“Why are we stopping?” She sat up. She knew they weren’t close to any of their houses. 

“Matt wanted me to drop him off at the inn.” Blake said while turning off the car, but his attention wasn’t completely on her, he was looking at something outside.

Gwen stared at the roof of the car and let a disapproving sigh escape her lips. She decided she would stay laying there, after all the inn was the last place in the world where she wanted to be. However, the mixture of blue and red lights outside caught her eye, and she quickly sat up.

“What’s going on?” She asked, immediately sticking her face to the car's window. 

“The police are here." It was Matthew who answered from the passenger seat. "They said they would be." He unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door.

Blake and Gwen exchanged a confused look, but he was soon opening the door to get out of the car as well, and she followed soon after.

“You are going to pay for what you are doing. I am not a criminal. I was following orders.” The small town sheriff himself got out through the inn’s back door, guiding Barbara to the parking lot outside. She was even handcuffed because she wouldn’t listen and wasn’t cooperating.

“Following the wrong orders.” He told her. “Barbara, you talk too much. I already told you that everything you say will be used against you in court.” The sheriff was still trying to be helpful to her, it was a small town and he knew that woman since he could tell, so he warned her again, letting out a loud, tired sigh.

"What about Ashley?" The woman asked, still showing a disgruntled frown.

“Ashley is coming." The sheriff stated.

Barbara suddenly seemed to despair. “Don't send my baby to jail, Dick, Ashley has a bright future ahead of her." She begged, but her mood soon changed again when the sheriff chose to not say anything back. She got furious. “You are pathetic and insensitive! My daughter went to school with yours, they are childhood friends and look what you’re doing to my family, Dick. I’ll make you pay for this.” 

Soon, another Humberstone police officer came out with Ashley through the same door. Unlike her mother, she was not handcuffed, nor agitated, but she looked as shaken as the other one. Ashley’s eyes were aiming nowhere and she looked really lost, with a startled look as the cop took her to one of the parked police cars.

"This is surreal." Blake whispered and Gwen turned to look at him, noticing for the first time that he too had a somewhat lost look on his face. 

It was not hard to imagine why he felt strange, Blake had lived around those people since he was a child. He had grown up with them. And he was not the only one, some people who were passing by the main street at that moment stopped to watch what was happening, and even some cars parked around to try to understand that turmoil. All the faces Gwen could see looked shocked or scared. The quiet small town of Humberstone had never seen anything like that. Two citizens considered exemplary and who — especially Barbara — had a high power of influence over other residents, were going to jail to pay for their wrong doings, right in front of their eyes. 

“Are you ok?” Gwen turned to Blake again and wrapped her arms around him.

He nodded. “Yeah. They will pay for what they did.” 

“Sorry, folks, you can go back to your regular lives. Nothing to see here.” The sheriff was dismissing the crowd around the parking lot now that the two woman were secure inside of the police cars. “Nice to see you’re back, Blake.” Then he slightly nodded his head. “Gwen.”

“I’m sorry about all this.” She said. And she truly was. At times like that, she felt like a burden to that town.

“You shouldn't feel bad about it. They are the ones who should feel bad about what they did.” The Sheriff assured her. “Now come on, Matt." 

“Wait, are you going to arrest Matt too?" Blake seemed to be scared for a second.

"No." The police chief soon denied it. “But he needs to report a few other things. His testimony was the only thing that really helped us to connect the dots and arrest those two, but due to his involvement in this mess, I will need to put him behind a desk in bureaucratic work for the rest of his life.” The sheriff looked at Matthew and shook his head. "Dumbass."

“I said I was going to pay for my mistakes." Matt shrugged. "See you around, Blake and Gwen." He waved before following the Sheriff. 

"Matt?" Gwen called when he was already walking away, so he turned to her. “Thank you." She smiled slightly and he nodded before turning around again.

"Ready to go home?" Blake asked, already walking around the car to the driver's side again. 

“More than ready." She opened the passenger door to sit down and make him company in the front, on their way to Little Swamp Lane. “Let’s go!”

  


***

  


The rest of the winter was merciful, with the weak morning sun helping to bring Humberstone back to its peacefulness, as well as the lives of all its inhabitants, especially Blake and Gwen. Spring came with the blossoming of the flowers, the strong smell of the mixture of all Stonewoods greens and the heavy rainy nights. Temperatures rose, visitors started to show up at the town again, the streets started to get busier, and Lake Ember was full again on weekends. 

The Humberstone Elementary School opened its doors and Gwen got her old job back since Barbara wasn’t around to mess with her life anymore, and better, with a promise to be promoted next school year. As spring passed by and left, the remote Oklahoma town welcomed the summer with open arms. Summer vacations freed the children from school and homework, and gave their parents an extra temporary job. The streets in the suburbs were filled with bicycles, toys and their small owners. Little Swamp Lane was no different than any other small street, except that it was dead end, and that attracted the little ones even more.

“Look at her, she’s so comfortable now.” Gwen was peering through the window on the second floor, in the room that used to be Blake's and now belonged to her too. She was looking at the little street — now recently paved — in front of the house, where Hope played with a group of neighborhood kids.

“Of course she is, she has been living here for a year. And she loves it, you know that.” Blake came up behind her, wrapping her body with both his arms. His lips left a path of light pecks on her cheek, and then went down to her neck. As time passed, he seemed to find it more and more difficult to just not be touching her when they were together. And she had just got home after a meeting at the school. 

“I know, but the beginning was a little difficult, to say at least. I came to think that Humberstone would never be a home for her. Hope needs to belong, you know that, that’s what the therapist said. She never felt like she belonged to a family, now she does. She never really belonged in Sun Valley, and now she feels so at home in Humberstone.” Gwen turned around, leaving the sight of Hope playing and having fun with the other children behind so she could look at Blake. "I have you to thank for all this."

“Me? No, don’t thank me, it was you and how strong you were. You changed her life for better when you left there and that was all you. Plus, she’s special.” He smiled. The new position, with her facing him, seemed even more right, so Blake pulled her a little closer to him and they fit perfectly in that hug, with his arms crossed behind her back and hers wrapped around his neck, with one of her hands caressing his hair behind his head. “And, as she likes to say, she is very big now, since she turned 6, and she can do anything she wants.” 

Gwen laughed, but soon her eyes were filled with affection and her face went really soft. "She loves you."

“Oh, God, how I love her." He smiled and their faces got closer, as if they both had that urge at the same time.

Blake's lips covered Gwen's for a quick, light kiss, but it was impossible to contain the fire that continued to burn — just like it was the first time — inside them when her hand went under the shirt he wore to seek for skin contact. Blake pulled her back with him, away from the window, and it didn't take long for his legs to hit the bed behind them, but he continued to hold her while their lips and tongues excitedly dueled in an intense kiss. 

They soon fell on the mattress, her body crashing into his in the fall. The bed creaked as if its frame was struggling to hold the weight that was added so suddenly. And they laughed together, separating their lips for just a second before starting kissing again as if they just couldn't resist. They slowed down, but kept the kiss intense, now being able to enjoy more of each other's taste and texture. 

Blake raised his hand to caress Gwen's face in the meantime, placing it on the curve of her neck shortly after. But she soon flexed her knees to sit up, over his body. He looked at her in expectation, and she did not disappoint. She started slowly unbuttoning the white button-down shirt she was wearing, reveling her black bra under it. Blake took his hands to either side of her waist, touching her soft, warm skin in a slow, tempting way, digging his fingertips. 

"Come here." His husky voice made it clear that he desired her very much and right at that moment, and that she had already pushed him very far, without even having to do much.

His hands pushed the unbuttoned shirt off her shoulders, until the piece of clothing fell somewhere behind her. Gwen leaned forward and their lips collided again, but this time just for a few seconds, until Blake moved his to her neck, sucking her skin hard and then digging his teeth slightly. Gwen moaned breathlessly, close to his ear, and that caused a wave of heat and pleasure to run through Blake's whole body. 

His hand moved to her thigh and slowly went up under the black tight skirt she was wearing. But right in that moment, Gwen's phone started to ring.

“No.” She whined.

“Ignore it.” He simply said. His lips were still busy exploring her neck. 

She made an effort to turn her neck and just look at the device on the bed, but as soon as she saw her lawyer’s name on the screen, she decided she couldn't ignore it. “Sorry, I can’t.”

Gwen sat back up, but Blake held her waist. “Blake, please?”

It was his turn to whine a little, but he let go. 

She rolled to the side and laid next to him on the mattress. Gwen ended up laying on Blake's arm, and he wrapped her in a half hug as she reached over to grab the phone. They still stayed as close as possible to each other. 

“Hi, Jessica." She greeted the lawyer when she answered the call. Her hand absently stroked Blake's hair again while his finger traced circles over her exposed belly. 

“Hi, Gwen. How are you?" The woman's voice on the other end of the line seemed normal and it calmed her down a little. “I'm just calling to say that everything went as expected at Barbara's final trial, she was sentenced ten years for second-degree kidnapping and physical assault, for what she did to Hope and Dorothy.” Jessica told her, explaining just as much as she needed to know. “But Ashley has been released and will only be doing volunteer work for 24 months. She was found guilty, but her actions are not as serious as her mother's. However, it will remain on her record forever, and she needs to stay away from you and Hope, if she gets too close, all you have to do is call 911 and they won’t let her out anymore.”

“Ok.” Gwen was unsure of what to say. She looked at Blake and just by the way he looked back at her, she knew he could hear their conversation. “What about George?” He was still the only person that really bothered her, and would keep her awake at night sometimes. 

“George is still in the same situation. They operated and removed the bullets, but he never woke up after that.” The lawyer said. “He left the hospital and he is in a facility in Los Angeles, still in a coma, but chances are he’ll never wake up.” 

Again, Gwen looked at Blake, and his hand went down until he held and squeezed hers, as if encouraging her to do something. 

“Right." She took a deep breath. “I’m tired of waiting to see what his fate is going to be. I want a divorce. ” She said at once. "Is there any way we can do that?"

“Yes." The woman answered quickly as if she already knew what was coming next. “We just have to get his medical report that states that he will probably never wake up because of minimal brain activity. Most judges are willing to grant a quick divorce in cases like these. I don't think it will be a difficult process at all.”

“Let’s do this, then." Gwen gave the final say. “This way his family can have the power to decide what they want to do with him and I don’t have to be signing anything anymore just because I’m his wife.” She let out a long tired sigh. “The wife he almost killed.”

"You got it. One more thing." Jessica continued to speak. “The insurance company is going to send you a big check. Don't be alarmed, it's because of the fire. Your home insurance covered absolutely everything.”

"A check? Do you mean money?” Again, Gwen didn't even know what to say. “How much money is in a big check?”

“It’s a very good amount of money.” The lawyer confirmed. “Please, don’t tell me you will not accept it. It is rightfully yours, and after all he did to you, you deserve it.” 

“But it’s money, I don’t want to—” She was already freaking out and Blake had to squeeze her hand again.

“Hey, I’m just letting you know, ok? You do whatever you want to it when you get it.” Jessica said.

“Ok.” Gwen sighed. “Thank you. Keep me updated on everything.”

“I will. Talk to you soon.” And the call ended.

Gwen dropped her phone on the bed and turned on her side to face Blake. She rested her elbow on the mattress and supported her head with her hand.

Before she said anything, he also turned to face her and smiled. "You will be completely free very soon." His hand touched the side of her body again, sliding down to her waist.

"Finally." She also smiled and they quickly eliminated the short distance that was still between them.

The lips sought each other again, touching in the most familiar and loving way possible. Blake's hand went up to Gwen's face and he caressed her lightly, while she did the same to the back of his neck, with the tip of her fingers.

“My God, can't you close the door? There is a child living in this house.” Dorothy's voice from the hallway caught them by surprise and the two almost jumped off the bed. 

Gwen looked back really quick to see if there was any sign of Hope, but the little girl wasn’t around, it was just Blake’s mother. She then pressed her body against Blake's to hide her half naked torso and hid her face in his neck. 

He had a slight nervous laughter outbreak. “We are not doing anything." He explained himself as if he was a teenager caught in the act. “We were just talking… and kissing.” 

“Well, close the door.” Dot repeated herself. 

“Sorry.” Gwen said in a muffled tone, with her face still hid on Blake's neck. There was not much to discuss there, Dorothy was right, even though they knew Hope was playing outside.

“I came here to invited you both to come to the restaurant with me. The work is almost done there and I wanted to show you how things are coming together.” She said, causing Gwen to finally turn around to look at her.

"Oh really? We can go check?” She asked. 

“Wow, the mystery is over.” Blake teased. 

“Sure, if you're not too busy." She cast a disapproving look at them, but it was all just a way to tease back, and also teach a lesson.

"I would like to be busy for—" Blake started to say, but Gwen used her hand to cover his mouth and make him shut up.

"Don't make things worse." She whispered and he let out a muffled laugh against her palm.

“I'll wait downstairs until you compose yourselves." His mother told them, leaving their sight soon after.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me your mom was home." Gwen pushed Blake away.

He was still laughing. "I thought you knew." 

“Oh, please!” She rolled her eyes and sat up, grabbing her shirt to put it back on and button it up. And took the opportunity to fix her hair too. 

When she turned back to him, Blake was looking at her with a sweet smile on his face. His kind blue eyes were even more blue and kinder. 

“What are you looking at?" She laughed. 

"I can't even believe my life right now." He said, his eyes still stuck on her face. “You saved me."

Her eyes went soft too. “Funny, I thought you saved me." Gwen joked, leaning down to kiss him again. 

"I love you. I love our life together.” Blake sat up too, and his hand went up to caress her face sweetly. "I don’t want anything to ever ruin this." 

"I love you too." Gwen leaned her back against his chest and Blake hugged her again. “And it’s not what I thought love was. It’s calm and stable, and it’s so sweet.” She smiled and he planted a kiss on her cheek. She realized love wasn’t like a hurricane that destroys everything and then leaves, it was like a flame that burns gradually and frequently and keeps people warm in their darkest moments. “It's simple. Love is so simple. ”

"Love is simple." Blake agreed. “I hope you don’t mind."

"Me? Simple was everything I ever wanted.” Gwen calmly rested her head on Blake's shoulder and they went right back to facing the children playing in the little dead end street. Hope among them. 

Heads more carefree than ever and hearts overflowing with love in a way that neither of them had ever experienced before. 

  


***

  


As soon as Blake parked his new truck in the downtown parking lot, they understood why Dorothy was so mysterious about the location of the her new restaurant. Initially she had said she wanted a place on or near main street, but Dorothy guided them to the boardwalk on the tourist side of downtown Humberstone. 

“That’s it.” She indicated a two-story building, recently renovated, right on the boardwalk.

Blake remembered that place, it had been built to be a common store and used to look like a big empty storage place, but Dot and the architect she hired turned the space into a perfect restaurant with an indoor and outdoor area and an incredible view of Lake Ember. 

"It was difficult to decide between staying in the area where I thought I wanted to stay or spending a little more, but buying a place like this." Dorothy told them while guiding them up the few steps to the main entrance, which she opened with a key. "The change will leave us a little tight at first, in financial terms, but we will soon recover. I thought that a full lake view was not too bad." She joked. 

The inside looked very spacious, but it was still basically empty and not at all decorated. The floor was not finished, so Gwen held on tightly to Hope's hand as they entered, afraid the girl would trip over something or slip. 

The walls were also unpainted, but the main area was already standing. It was also possible to see where the tables would be, the entrance to the bathrooms and a bar almost entirely set up. 

"The kitchen will be over there." Dorothy pointed to the door in the back. “Here will be the lounge with the tables, we will also have some tables outside. And a bar, because we hardly have decent bars in town, just dirty holes, and I know that even parents sometimes want to have a drink after hours.” She said, making Blake laugh. But Dorothy didn't care, she just kept talking so she wouldn't forget anything she needed to say. “I want you to help me out here, Blake. I want you to take care of the financial and logistical side of having a restaurant since I will be busy in the kitchen. We are building an office for you on the second floor, with a view of the lake as well.”

Blake looked at her, a little confused. “But how do you want me to do this, mom? I barely have time to be home.”

“That’s the thing. I no longer want you to work in construction, I want you to stay here and help me, so that you will have a regular 9 to 5 job and have more time for your family.” She looked at Hope and Gwen with a brief smile, but then looked back at him. "I want you to take care of our business for me, after all, I want this to be a family thing."

“Hm.” He seemed to think about it. Gwen wouldn’t say anything to influence him, but she secretly wanted him to accept his mother's proposal. “I don't see myself very much as a man who sits behind a desk, but I’ll do it if that means I will have more time for my family.” He leaned down a little to squeeze Hope's cheek, and the little girl laughed. "But I want to tend the bar sometimes, would you let me? It seems like a fun thing to do, plus I love hearing people’s stories.” 

“Ok, deal.” Dorothy laughed. “I thought you would ask for something like that.”

“I want to help too.” Gwen suddenly said. 

“But Gwen, I thought you were happy working at the school. I know you will be officially a teacher there starting this fall semester.” Blake’s mother seemed a little surprised. “It’s ok, you don’t have to help, I hired Kelly, that guy Dylan and a few other nice people.” 

“I know, but that’s not what I mean.” She looked at Dorothy with an excited look, because she had just had an incredible idea. “You just said you need money. I'm going to get a check in the mail, some insurance stuff. I still don't know how much, but whatever it is I want to invest in your restaurant.”

"What? No Gwen, I can't accept it.” Dorothy immediately answered. 

Gwen then exchanged a brief look with Blake and let go of Hope's hand, taking a step forward towards his mother. 

“Look Dot, I don't really know how this family thing works. I never really had one.” She started to say, and Blake pulled Hope to one of the big glass windows to distract her. “But I think family help each other, and you and Blake have done a lot for Hope and me. It’s our turn to help now, and you just said you may have financial problems in the beginning.”

"But Gwen, this restaurant is not supposed to be problem for our family. I don’t want to take what you and Hope have." Dorothy explained quickly, even though she was very touched by her kindness.

"I know, but if I'm going to live off the profits of this restaurant, it’s only fair I put some money in it too." Gwen insisted. "I promise I'll save some of it for Hope's college fund."

"Oh dear, come here, I want to show you something." Dorothy held Gwen's hand affectionately and guided her behind the big bar. 

There, all wrapped in a very large white cloth, was the sign that would be displayed at the main entrance to the restaurant. Dot bent down to unwrapped the whole thing to show it to Gwen. The very well designed sign, bore the name of the new restaurant: _Hope’s Place_.

Gwen gasped when she saw it.

Dorothy stood back up and held both sides of her face in her palms. “This place is Hope's college fund, Gwen.” She said, calmly, and the realization of what it meant struck Gwen so hard that she felt as if her heart was being physically squeezed by something, and tears immediately streamed down her face. “This is not about me, this is not about Blake, this is all for the future of our family. For Hope and the children yet to come.” 

“I don’t deserve it.” She sobbed and Dorothy held her in a tight hug. It wasn't about profit or money, they were a family and it didn’t depend on any of that. Gwen definitely wasn't used to something like that. And seeing Blake's mother put Hope's name on a project that had always been her life's dream was the realization of how important her daughter was to her too.

The sound of Gwen’s cry caught Blake's attention and he realized that by distracting Hope, he ended up being completely distracted from the conversation that happened between the two women. 

"Mom?" He picked Hope up to get closer faster. 

He was afraid the conversation about money had gone the wrong way between them, but as soon as he walked around the bar and saw the sign with the restaurant’s name on the floor, he understood what was going on.

"It's all right." Dorothy said, still trying to calm Gwen. "We are ok.” But she was actually speaking to her son, because she saw his startled look.

Blake nodded, now understanding everything.

“Why are you crying, mommy?" Hope asked, curiously and a little afraid. 

Gwen let go of Dot's hug to take her daughter in her arms. “I'm fine, baby. I'm just really happy." She said to the girl, and Hope brushed her mother’s tears away with her little hands. “Do you know when you are so happy that you want to cry? That’s it."

Hope nodded her head, showing a lot of understanding for a now 6 years old child. "I know, mommy, I'm very happy too."

Gwen hugged her daughter tight and stroked her hair. More tears escaped her face. Tears of pure happiness, for the first time in her life. She was so grateful for the love Hope had in her life, and it wasn’t only coming from one single side anymore, it was everywhere now.

"You can invest in the restaurant if you want." Dorothy finally said. As much as it was not necessary, she knew that any money that came in before they opened would be of great help. “But then I want you to be my partner on paper, to have your percentage according to what you invest. Ok?”

“Deal." Gwen agreed and the two smiled at each other before sealing the deal with a strong handshake and a hug afterwards, to which Blake soon joined as well, managing to wrap the three of them in his arms at once.

  


***

  


2 YEARS LATER —

Blake covered the green grass with the large towel just a few feet from the edge of the high cliff on the old Hill farm, from where it was possible to see all of Humberstone and some other small towns around it.

The hot summer kept Lake Ember full of tourists and Dorothy's restaurant — _Hope’s Place_ — was going for its second year of success, with the place always full and profit enough to make life comfortable for the whole family. There was not much to complain about in life, but still, Blake had noticed Gwen's somewhat sad expressions since the time she arrived at the restaurant to help him with some things, since she was off work due to the summer vacation and they were all taking care of the restaurant together. 

In the middle of the day, he decided to get her out of that environment, since she didn't seem to want to talk about whatever was bothering her there. They stopped halfway to drop Hope off at a friend's house.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" He asked, as soon as they sat together, side by side on the towel, facing the incredible view from the top of the cliff.

Gwen already knew Blake had taken her there because he knew there was something wrong. He had been asking her all morning about what was bothering her, and as soon as she realized they were following the path of the abandoned Hill farm, it hasn’t difficult to connect the dots. So she wasn’t surprised by that question.

She nodded slowly. “The lawyer called this morning. George's parents decided to take him off life support a couple of days ago.” She said, and looked up at him. “They unplugged him today.”

"And are you ... sad?" Blake looked confused. 

“Yes. Well, no. Not exactly. Not because of him, but because George didn't have a will and his only heir is Hope.” Gwen told him, and as much as Blake understood what that meant, he still didn't fully understand the sadness in Gwen's eyes. “Everything he owned is hers now. Houses, cars, boats, partnerships in his family business, all the money in the bank. A fortune. I don’t even know how much!” 

Blake shook his head. “Again… are you sad?” He was still confused.

“Hope is 8, Blake. She won’t be able to touch any of this money until she’s old enough, which means I have to manage it.” She sighed. “I don’t even know what to do. Plus George’s mother could try to take some of this money or at least the business partnership, since it’s their business anyway, but the lawyer said she won’t.” 

That made Blake even more confused. “She doesn’t want it?”

“No, she doesn’t want it. Instead, she asked for the chance to have a relationship with her granddaughter.” Gwen finally said, and her sadness and apparent fear started to make sense to Blake. “She wants to meet Hope.” 

That was it. That was the problem, he could understand it perfectly then.

Blake tried to think of what to say and how to say anything that would make her feel better, but he soon realized that there was no easy way. Then he put an arm around her and pulled her to him, planting a kiss on the top of her head. 

“Maybe it's not such a bad thing. She is Hope’s grandmother after all.” He finally said.

“They don't know each other. When I was pregnant, George forbade his parents to visit us and they just stopped doing so. Like it's that easy.” She took a deep breath. She wasn't exactly sad, she was just a little upset about that situation. “She doesn't know Hope. Dorothy is her grandmother.” 

Blake could hear in Gwen's voice the way she was upset about that, and also the fear she felt of getting involved with that family again, but at the same time, he understood George's mother's interest in Hope, she was the woman’s family too.

“Maybe give her a chance. My mom won’t be less important because of this woman’s presence in Hope’s life.” Even though he was saying what he truly believed and not sugarcoating anything, he was still being careful and minding her feelings, like he would always do. “See what Hope thinks. She is no longer a baby, maybe she can have an opinion on that. ”

"Maybe." She agreed, relaxing her body a little and laying her head comfortably on his shoulder.

It would still amaze her how Blake always knew the right thing to say to her, but was still as honest as one could be. “About the money ..." Gwen returned to the previous subject. “We bought this piece of land a few months ago. Maybe we could finally do something with it. What do you think?"

“Hm. I don’t know.” He smiled and turned around, motioning so she would do the same thing.

She quickly followed him. Now, instead of looking at the breathtaking view of the small town under them, they were facing the huge empty land, with only some destroyed structures around, the abandoned barn being the only one still standing. 

“Close your eyes.” Blake asked. "What do you see?"

“A house.” Gwen said. Eyes closed, big smile. “Two floors and a lot of space. A large backyard right here where we are, with a swimming pool.”

"How many bedrooms?" Blake asked between the kisses he was placing on her cheek.

“Four.” Gwen replied, turning her face so that their lips touched. They exchanged a few kisses between words. “A balcony in our room with this amazing view. And a bathroom for Hope.”

“Sounds like a dream.” He smiled. “I also see horses. Hope loves horses. And pigs. Maybe even cows.”

Blake put one of his hands in his pants pocket. His fingertips touching the velvet layer of the small box that was kept there for weeks now. He pulled it up slightly, trapping it between his fingers. The moment seemed perfect to make that dream more real and official. 

“I can live with that.” She said, laughing about all the animals. Then she opened her eyes to look at him. “How fast can we build it?” She asked. Her mood was already completely changed for the better.

"It depends on how many helpers I can get, but I know a lot of people in construction, as you know.” He joked, fingers still working on discreetly pulling the little velvet box out.

“It needs to be fast." Gwen continued to chatter. "In less than..." She did a quick head count. "32 weeks."

Blake stopped what he was doing and dropped the box back into his pocket. "What?" He didn't seemed confused, just surprised.

She smiled. "I'm pregnant."

He opened his mouth in surprise and let out a happy laugh. “When did you—?” He didn’t even seem to be able to finish his sentence. 

“This morning.” Gwen was laughing too. They just couldn’t help it. “I just took a regular drugstore test, but I already knew, just wanted to confirm it.”

Blake pulled her onto his lap and leaned over to plant kisses all over her face and neck. Gwen laughed so hard that she could hardly breathe at some point. 

"Stop, you are tickling me.” She breathlessly asked while still laughing. 

Blake honored her request and stopped, but the smile never left his face. "I love you." He said, with his blue eyes as kind as ever, but with a different content sparkle in them. “We’re going to have a baby. I’m so happy.”

One arm supported her back and the other pulled her legs onto his lap as well. Gwen kissed Blake's lips and laid her head on his chest, snuggling to him as if she was right where she belonged. And she really was. She was also as happy as one could be.

This time was completely different. Their baby had been carefully planned. They were in a financially and emotionally stable phase of their lives, Hope was already quite independent and completely settled and they had just bought a large land to build their house the way they wanted. 

She had stopped taking contraceptives a few months ago. They weren't trying to get pregnant, but they weren't avoiding that either, they just didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Blake wanted the house to be ready first, and for that ring he had been carrying around with him to be on Gwen's finger, but the wait for the perfect moment had delayed his plans. It didn't matter anyway, he would soon find a day special enough for them to remember forever. However, it wouldn't be that day, because he wanted to remember that day as the day he first heard about that little baby. Their little baby, who was growing inside of her, healthy and safe this time, and who would be there in 32 weeks.

Only 32 weeks. Blake started to freak out a little. 

"I love you too." Gwen whispered, pushing away any stressful thoughts he was having, as if she knew. "You are my home."

“You will be home forever then." His heart calmed down as he whispered back and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"I will be home forever.” She agreed.

— THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it, guys. The End.  
> But honestly, I have a very vivid idea for a sequel. HAHAHHA It is not what’s coming next, but maybe one day. 
> 
> If you read all this to the end, tell me what you think of it, please? 
> 
> You can also follow me on Twitter: @justacami1
> 
> Thank you so much!


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